RNA Interference News and Research

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Silence Therapeutics receives two patents for RNA interference therapeutics

Silence Therapeutics plc announces the issuance of two new patents by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) which are broadly directed to double-stranded short interfering RNA (siRNA) sequences against the validated cancer targets epidermal growth factor receptor related protein (EGFR-RP) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1).

8 Sep 2010

New insight into abnormalities in cancer cells

A basic requirement for growth and life of a multicellular organism is the ability of its cells to divide. Chromosomes in the cells duplicate and are then distributed among the daughter cells. This distribution is organized by a protein complex made up of several hundred different proteins, called the centrosome. In cancer cells, the centrosome often assumes an unnatural shape or is present in uncontrolled numbers. The reasons for this were previously largely unknown.

4 Sep 2010

Dicerna announces closing of $25 million Series B round of financing

Dicerna Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a second generation RNA interference company developing novel therapeutics utilizing its proprietary Dicer Substrate Technology™ and Dicer Substrate siRNA molecules, today announced that it has closed a $25 million Series B round of financing. New investor Domain Associates led the round, with all existing investors participating - Oxford Bioscience Partners, Skyline Ventures and Abingworth.

11 Aug 2010

Silence Therapeutics receives patent for RNA silencing method

Silence Therapeutics plc announces the issuance of United States patent 7,772,203, titled "Methods and Compositions for Controlling Efficacy of RNA Silencing," by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The issued patent generally claims methods of enhancing RNA silencing with a double stranded RNA interference (RNAi) agent. The patent's RNA silencing method claims include coverage for the administering of a pharmaceutical composition containing short interfering RNA (siRNA), micro RNA (miRNA), pre-miRNA or short hairpin (shRNA) molecules. Silence believes the proprietary structural modification techniques covered in this patent will play a key role in increasing the potential therapeutic efficacy of RNAi therapeutics.

11 Aug 2010

Scientists identify enzyme to prevent beta-amyloids formation in Alzheimer patients

The brains of Alzheimer patients have high accumulations of the material beta-amyloid, which appear in the form of plaques. The precursors of these plaques are believed to be the underlying cause of the nerve cell loss that leads to the disruptions in memory that characterize Alzheimer's disease. The main aim of many Alzheimer therapies is therefore to inhibit the formation of beta-amyloid. Since beta-amyloid is cleaved from the so-called amyloid precursor protein (APP), scientists have focused on stopping the two enzymes that attack the precursor protein. These act like molecular scissors and cut out the beta-amyloid fragment. Blocking these scissors precludes the formation of beta-amyloid.

31 Jul 2010

Silence Therapeutics extends ongoing research, development collaboration with AstraZeneca

Silence Therapeutics plc is pleased to announce a one-year extension of its ongoing research and development collaboration with AstraZeneca. Under the terms of the agreement, which has progressed well since being signed in July 2007, Silence and AstraZeneca are jointly collaborating in the identification and optimization of five novel siRNA therapeutic molecules addressing respiratory and oncology indications.

14 Jul 2010

Mount Sinai Hospital researchers discover new insights into genesis of stem cells

Mount Sinai Hospital researchers including Drs. Andras Nagy and Jeff Wrana have discovered new insights into the genesis of stem cells, which will improve the efficiency of stem cell creation for use in tissue regeneration and in the development of new drugs.

3 Jul 2010

Scientists explain mechanism behind acute myeloid leukemia

New research by scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) has illuminated in fine detail one of the genetic paths that leads to a particularly aggressive form of leukemia.

2 Jul 2010

Sirnaomics receives NIH SBIR grants to advance siRNA therapeutics for critical human diseases

Sirnaomics, Inc. announced today that the company has received two SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) grants from National Cancer Institute (NCI) and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), of National Institute of Health (NIH). Sirnaomics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company founded in early 2007, is dedicated to developing RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics for treatment of critical human diseases.

30 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

Royal Philips Electronics, RXi Pharmaceuticals sign joint research agreement

Royal Philips Electronics and RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation, a US-based biopharmaceutical company, today announced that they have entered into a joint research agreement to explore the benefits of combining proprietary technologies from both companies for the targeted delivery of experimental therapeutics based on RNA interference.

4 Jun 2010

RNAi therapy shuts down gene critical to RSV, prevents virus replication

John DeVincenzo, MD, professor and researcher in the Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Sciences at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), has proven for the first time that a totally new concept in drug design can be used to treat human disease. Dr. DeVincenzo, who also serves as a children's infectious diseases specialist at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, conducted his study at the Children's Foundation Research Center, a UT Health Science Center partner located at Le Bonheur.

29 May 2010

Small segment of a protein can control normal expression of genes: Research

In a major cancer-research breakthrough, researchers at the McGill University, Department of Biochemistry have discovered that a small segment of a protein that interacts with RNA can control the normal expression of genes - including those that are active in cancer.

27 May 2010

Researchers report key cellular pathway in deadly brain cancer malignant glioma

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School report in the journal Nature Medicine on a cellular pathway in the deadly brain cancer malignant glioma, a pathway essential to the cancer's ability to grow - and a potential target for therapy that would stop the cancer's ability to thrive.

26 May 2010

Silence Therapeutics deepens diverse portfolio of RNAi intellectual property

Silence Therapeutics plc announces the issuance of United States patent 7,723,316, titled Compositions and Methods of RNAi Therapeutics For Treatment of Cancer and Other Neovascularization Disease, by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

26 May 2010

Arrowhead decreases second-quarter consolidated operating expenses by 58%

Arrowhead Research Corporation today announced financial results for its fiscal 2010 second quarter ended March 31, 2010.

13 May 2010

Giardia's surface proteins may work as vaccines to help prevent infections: Research scholar

The intestinal parasite Giardia lamblia changes outfits nearly as often as a fashion model on a Parisian runway. With more than 200 protein coats in its molecular wardrobe, this troublesome creature-the cause of innumerable cases of diarrheal infections each year-can change its appearance from one instant to the next, throwing the body's immune cells off track.

12 May 2010

Multistage nanovector system for siRNA delivery lengthens therapeutic effects of ovarian cancer treatment

New research by scientists at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) and The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center could make it easier for patients to use a family of promising experimental cancer therapeutics known as small interfering RNA (siRNA).

6 May 2010

RXi Pharmaceuticals to present data on rxRNA therapeutic platform development at upcoming conferences

RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company pursuing the development and commercialization of proprietary therapeutics based on RNA interference (RNAi), today announced that senior members of its management will be presenting at upcoming conferences and will highlight critical aspects of the development of RXi's next generation rxRNA™ therapeutic platform as well as specific preclinical data generated with this platform.

24 Apr 2010

Silence Therapeutics, AstraZeneca announce one-year extension of ongoing siRNA delivery collaboration

Silence Therapeutics plc announces that the Company and AstraZeneca have agreed to a one-year extension of their ongoing small interfering RNA (siRNA) delivery collaboration. Under this collaboration, which was originally entered into in March 2008, the companies are leveraging a number of Silence's proprietary lipid delivery and targeting technologies to develop new and enhanced delivery approaches for RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics.

21 Apr 2010