MicroRNA News and Research

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In genetics, microRNAs (miRNA) are single-stranded RNA molecules of 21-23 nucleotides in length, which regulate gene expression. miRNAs are encoded by genes from whose DNA they are transcribed but miRNAs are not translated into protein (i.e. they are non-coding RNAs); instead each primary transcript (a pri-miRNA) is processed into a short stem-loop structure called a pre-miRNA and finally into a functional miRNA. Mature miRNA molecules are partially complementary to one or more messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules, and their main function is to down-regulate gene expression.

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals initiates dosing in Phase I human clinical study with ALN-TTR01

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, announced today it has initiated dosing in a Phase I human clinical study with ALN-TTR01. The study is aimed at evaluating the safety and tolerability of ALN-TTR01 in patients with transthyretin -mediated amyloidosis, and is also designed to provide preliminary data on human proof of concept based on measurements of TTR serum levels.

7 Jul 2010

MicroRNAs accurately identify four histological types of renal tumors: Study

Rosetta Genomics, Ltd., a leading developer and provider of microRNA-based molecular diagnostics, announces that a peer-reviewed article entitled "Accurate Molecular Classification of Renal Tumors Using MicroRNA Expression" has been published in the online version of The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics.

7 Jul 2010

PhyloTech closes $1.2M Seed financing round

PhyloTech, Inc., announced today it closed a $1.2 M Seed financing round in June. The Company provides analysis of over 50,000 bacterial and archaeal taxa in samples from any source to solve problems in human health, environmental damages assessment, bioremediation, recreational water quality, drinking water and food safety, and an array of other applications.

7 Jul 2010

WaferGen Biosystems to raise $7 million in registered direct offering

WaferGen Biosystems, Inc., a leading developer of state-of-the-art genomic analysis systems, today announced that it has received commitments from certain investors to purchase approximately $7 million of previously unissued securities in a registered direct offering. The investors include the Chairman and CEO, Alnoor Shivji, who has agreed to purchase $1 million of securities in the registered direct offering.

2 Jul 2010

Data published in Cancer Research demonstrates proof of concept for Mirna's tumor suppressor miRNAs

Mirna Therapeutics announced today publication of new results in the journal Cancer Research demonstrating proof of concept that the systemic delivery of tumor suppressor microRNAs (miRNA) inhibits tumor growth by restoring the proper regulatory pathways required for cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.

30 Jun 2010

Alnylam receives Portuguese, Swedish, British approvals to initiate ALN-TTR01 Phase I study in ATTR

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, announced today that its applications for ALN-TTR01 have been given clearance by Portuguese, Swedish, and British regulatory authorities to begin clinical testing. The trial will begin enrolling patients shortly in a blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter Phase I study.

29 Jun 2010

Alnylam presents data on novel delivery lipids at IBC 6th Annual Cell Line Development and Engineering conference

Alnylam Biotherapeutics, a division of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, announced today the presentation of new data at the IBC 6th Annual Cell Line Development and Engineering conference held in San Francisco, California from June 21 - 24, 2010.

24 Jun 2010

Santaris Pharma, miRagen collaborate to develop microRNA-targeted medicines for cardiovascular disease

Santaris Pharma A/S, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of RNA-targeted therapies and miRagen Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative microRNA-based therapeutics for cardiovascular and muscle disease, announced today that they have formed a strategic alliance to develop microRNA-targeted medicines for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.

23 Jun 2010

Update on Regulus and sanofi-aventis collaboration

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that, as a result of the newly formed alliance Regulus has established with sanofi-aventis, each company will receive a payment of $1.8 million from Regulus. This represents 7.5% of the $25 million upfront payment from sanofi-aventis to Regulus.

23 Jun 2010

NCI awards GeneGo Phase II SBIR grant for development of MetaMiner(Oncology) platform

GeneGo, Inc., a leading provider of databases, software and services in systems biology and chemistry, announced today that they were awarded with a Phase II SBIR grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for further development of an analytical platform for translational research and data analysis in oncology.

22 Jun 2010

Regulus Therapeutics, sanofi-aventis partner to develop and commercialize microRNA therapeutics

Regulus Therapeutics Inc. and sanofi-aventis announced today that they have entered into a global, strategic alliance to discover, develop, and commercialize microRNA therapeutics. The alliance represents the largest microRNA partnership formed to date, valued at potentially over $750 million, and includes a $25 million upfront fee, a $10 million future equity investment subject to mutual agreement on company valuation, and annual research support for three years with the option to extend two additional years.

22 Jun 2010

USPTO awards Alnylam Notice of Allowance for patent covering methods of inhibiting expression of mutant genes

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has awarded a Notice of Allowance for the "John et al." patent (Application No. 10/384,463), which covers methods of inhibiting mutant genes with double-stranded RNAs from 19 to 30 nucleotides in length.

18 Jun 2010

VCU researchers discover mechanism that regulates gene expression and growth in melanoma cells

Virginia Commonwealth University researchers have discovered a mechanism by which an enzyme regulates gene expression and growth in melanoma cells, a finding that could someday lead to more effective drugs to attack cancers and make them more treatable.

18 Jun 2010

Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Alnylam collaborate to develop microRNA-based attenuated influenza viruses

Mount Sinai School of Medicine has completed an exclusive option agreement with Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. a leading RNAi therapeutics company, for intellectual property related to RNAi applications in vaccine development. These new applications of RNAi technology define opportunities for the advancement of novel vaccines in infectious disease.

18 Jun 2010

Researchers discover microRNA biomarkers to treat patients with SCLC

Researchers at the Translational Genomics Research Institute, the Van Andel Research Institute and the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare have discovered a biomarker that could help in the treatment of patients with an aggressive type of lung cancer.

15 Jun 2010

DV Biologics executes agreement with System Biosciences to develop iPSC lines

DV Biologics LLC announced today that it has executed an agreement with System Biosciences LLC for the development of human-derived disease-specific induced pluripotent stem cell lines.

14 Jun 2010

USPTO issues patent covering methods for enhancing RNA silencing activity of RNAi agents

Silence Therapeutics plc announces the issuance of United States patent 7,732,593, titled Methods and Compositions For Controlling Efficacy of RNA Silencing, by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The issued patent, which is based on the seminal research of Phillip D. Zamore, Ph.D., Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, the Gretchen Stone Cook Chair of Biomedical Sciences, and Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology at University of Massachusetts Medical School, generally claims methods of enhancing the RNA silencing activity of RNA interference (RNAi) agents through certain structural modifications.

14 Jun 2010

Study identifies mechanism that interrupts normal p53 gene function leading to tumor development

The p53 gene has been a well-documented player in the prevention of tumors. It is considered the most frequently mutated gene in human tumors with more than half harboring p53 mutations (Bennett et al., 1999). These mutations often can be caused by disruption in normal p53 function.

11 Jun 2010

WaferGen announces microRNA, oncology gene panels for SmartChip Real-Time PCR System

WaferGen Biosystems, Inc., a leading developer of state-of-the-art genetic analysis systems, today announced the availability of two gene expression profiling panels for the SmartChip Real-Time PCR System that will enable microRNA and cancer pathway profiling capability.

10 Jun 2010

NanoString Technologies launches new solution to detect CNVs in human genomic samples

NanoString Technologies, Inc., a privately held life sciences company marketing a complete solution for detecting and counting large sets of target molecules in biological samples, today announced the launch of its early access program for a unique new solution that detects copy number variation in human genomic samples. The program was announced in conjunction with the company's participation in the European Human Genetics Conference in Gothenburg, Sweden.

From NanoString Technologies 10 Jun 2010

MicroRNA News and Research

Further Reading

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals initiates dosing in Phase I human clinical study with ALN-TTR01

MicroRNAs accurately identify four histological types of renal tumors: Study

PhyloTech closes $1.2M Seed financing round

WaferGen Biosystems to raise $7 million in registered direct offering

Data published in Cancer Research demonstrates proof of concept for Mirna's tumor suppressor miRNAs

Alnylam receives Portuguese, Swedish, British approvals to initiate ALN-TTR01 Phase I study in ATTR

Alnylam presents data on novel delivery lipids at IBC 6th Annual Cell Line Development and Engineering conference

Santaris Pharma, miRagen collaborate to develop microRNA-targeted medicines for cardiovascular disease

Update on Regulus and sanofi-aventis collaboration

NCI awards GeneGo Phase II SBIR grant for development of MetaMiner(Oncology) platform

Regulus Therapeutics, sanofi-aventis partner to develop and commercialize microRNA therapeutics

USPTO awards Alnylam Notice of Allowance for patent covering methods of inhibiting expression of mutant genes

VCU researchers discover mechanism that regulates gene expression and growth in melanoma cells

Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Alnylam collaborate to develop microRNA-based attenuated influenza viruses

Researchers discover microRNA biomarkers to treat patients with SCLC

DV Biologics executes agreement with System Biosciences to develop iPSC lines

USPTO issues patent covering methods for enhancing RNA silencing activity of RNAi agents

Study identifies mechanism that interrupts normal p53 gene function leading to tumor development

WaferGen announces microRNA, oncology gene panels for SmartChip Real-Time PCR System

NanoString Technologies launches new solution to detect CNVs in human genomic samples

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