RNA News and Research

RSS

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a biologically important type of molecule that consists of a long chain of nucleotide units. Each nucleotide consists of a nitrogenous base, a ribose sugar, and a phosphate.

Major pharmaceutical company, Access sign deal for RNAi therapeutics

ACCESS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC., a biopharmaceutical company leveraging its proprietary drug-delivery platforms to develop treatments in areas of oncology, cancer supportive care and diabetes, announced it has entered into an agreement with a major pharmaceutical company to exploit its CobaCyte and CobOral technology for the targeted delivery of RNAi therapeutics.

15 Apr 2011

RXi Pharmaceuticals acquires Apthera

RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation, a biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing innovative therapies addressing major unmet medical needs using RNA-targeted and immunotherapy technologies, today announced the completion of its previously announced acquisition of Apthera, Inc.

15 Apr 2011

Insight into neurodegenerative diseases

For years, researchers in genome stability have observed that several neurodegenerative diseases-including Huntington's disease-are associated with cell-killing proteins that are created during expansion of a CAG/CTG trinucleotide repeat.

12 Apr 2011

Scientists develop new method to detect virus presence in cells

Scientists at the Naval Research Laboratory Center for Bio-Molecular Science and Engineering have developed a method to detect the presence of viruses in cells and to study their growth.

12 Apr 2011

Scientists develop new approach to accelerate evolution of biomolecules in lab

Scientists at Harvard University have harnessed the prowess of fast-replicating bacterial viruses, also known as phages, to accelerate the evolution of biomolecules in the laboratory.

11 Apr 2011

Study unravels how interferon-induced factors inhibit viruses

When viruses attack, one molecule more than any other fights back. Interferon triggers the activation of more than 350 genes, and despite the obvious connection, the vast majority have never been tested for antiviral properties.

11 Apr 2011

Scientists to discuss innovative technologies at UMDNJ Symposium

Advances in technology have accelerated the effectiveness of scientific and medical research, producing rapid advances that were unthinkable even a decade ago. At its Third Annual Inter-School Technology Symposium, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey will bring together scientists from throughout the University who are at the forefront of this revolution.

11 Apr 2011

T2 Biosystems' technology platform demonstrates ability to detect Candida organisms in whole blood samples

T2 Biosystems, Inc., a company developing next-generation diagnostic products, presented data today on the rapid and sensitive detection of five species of the fungal infection Candida at the Annual Meeting of the Mycoses Study Group in Philadelphia, PA.

8 Apr 2011

ASBMB to honor 11 scientists with annual awards for biomedical research

The winners of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology annual awards will give lectures at the Experimental Biology 2011 conference April 9-13 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

8 Apr 2011

ASBMB honors UMMS professor with 2011 William C. Rose Award

The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology has named Melissa J. Moore, a professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, the winner of the society's 2011 William C. Rose Award.

8 Apr 2011

Luminex receives Medical Design Excellence Award for innovative MAGPIX system

Luminex Corporation has won a 2011 Medical Design Excellence Award in the category of In Vitro Diagnostics for its innovative MAGPIX system. Introduced in 2010, MAGPIX is a compact, versatile laboratory analysis platform designed to improve productivity by delivering multiple highly accurate, reproducible results from a single sample.

From Luminex 8 Apr 2011

Alnylam to extend RNAi therapeutics research collaboration with AlCana and UBC

AlCana Technologies, Inc., The University of British Columbia, and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, announced today that Alnylam has elected to extend the companies' RNAi therapeutics research collaboration for a third year.

7 Apr 2011

TBL1 levels may help identify obese persons at risk of developing fatty liver

Excess fat around the hips and belly may not really be compatible with current beauty ideals, but, to a certain degree, it is a normal, even vital energy store of our body. However, it is a different matter if the organism stores fat in organs such as the liver, pancreas or muscles. This is a clear sign of a metabolic disorder.

7 Apr 2011

Alnylam defends against Tekmira complaint, files answer and counterclaim

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, has filed an answer and counterclaim to a complaint filed by Tekmira Pharmaceuticals Corporation in the Business Litigation Session (BLS) of the Massachusetts Superior Court.

7 Apr 2011

Asuragen launches InformThyroid, a panel of molecular markers

Asuragen, Inc. announced today the launch of Inform™Thyroid, a panel of molecular markers used on Fine Needle Aspirates (FNA) of thyroid nodules to aid physicians in the management of thyroid cancer.

6 Apr 2011

Optimer, Cubist sign deal to market DIFICID for CDI treatment in the U.S.

Optimer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the signing of an exclusive two-year co-promotion agreement to market DIFICID, in the United States.

6 Apr 2011

Having children early in life lowers lifetime risk of breast cancer

Women who have children, particularly early in life, have a lower lifetime risk of breast cancer compared with women who do not. Now, Fox Chase Cancer Center researchers have identified a gene expression pattern in breast tissue that differs between post-menopausal women who had children and post-menopausal women who did not.

6 Apr 2011

Increased risk of virologic failure associated with NNRTI-based regimens in HIV-1 drug resistance mutations

An analysis of data from 10 studies indicates that the presence of low frequency (also called "minority") human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) drug resistance mutations, particularly those involving nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) resistance, are significantly associated with an increased risk of first-line antiretroviral treatment failure, according to an article in the April 6 issue of JAMA.

6 Apr 2011

NEB, Sequenom sign deal to commercialize research tools for epigenetics

New England Biolabs, Inc. and Sequenom, Inc. jointly announce that they have signed a licensing and co-marketing agreement to commercialize research tools for epigenetics.

From New England Biolabs 6 Apr 2011

NuGEN, Roche develop unique genomic sample preparation solutions

454 Life Sciences, a Roche Company, and NuGEN Technologies, announced today the development of a unique sample preparation method and high-throughput sequencing solution for small and degraded RNA samples.

6 Apr 2011