PTB Proteins Induce RNA Looping
Lamichhane, Daubner et al., PNAS
Researchers in the US and Switzerland report that polypyrimidine tract-binding proteins induce RNA looping ― a finding they deduced using FRET, NMR spectroscopy, and in vivo splicing data. They show that two PTB RNA recognition motifs can bind two distant pyrimidine tracts, bringing their 5' and 3' ends in close proximity, thus inducing loop formation.
Despite Potential of RNAi, Companies in the Space Keep Pipelines Focused
Although RNAi can be used to knock down virtually any gene of interest, companies working in the space have taken a decidedly measured approach in building their internal pipelines, maintaining a relatively small number of drug-development programs.
March 09, 2010
Alnylam Execs Foresee Partnerships in 2010, Provide Few Details as Pipeline Advances
Alnylam's top official said that while the company is encouraged that it will be able to confirm efficacy data observed in a phase IIa trial of its respiratory syncytial virus treatment ALN-RSV01, he stressed that it may not be able to do so in a follow-up study initiated late last month.
March 04, 2010
MIT Seeks Dismissal from Tuschl IP Litigation
As part of its request for dismissal, MIT admitted no wrongdoing, but agreed to be bound by any court ruling against the case's other defendants, the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research and the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
March 04, 2010
Quark Begins Patient Dosing in Phase I Study of Ocular Neuroprotectant
Although Quark initially expects to market the drug as a treatment for a rare condition known as non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, it hopes it can eventually develop it as a glaucoma treatment.
March 04, 2010
Q&A: MSKCC's Hans-Guido Wendel on Developing an Unbiased Screen for microRNA Targets
Wendel and colleagues used a short hairpin library screen to identify genes whose knockdown mimicked the effect of microRNA-19, a member of the oncogenic miR-17-92 cluster, in lymphocytes, hypothesizing that this would reveal the genes responsible for the miRNA's activity.
March 04, 2010
CSHL Sues Former Patent Counsel for Mishandling shRNA Patent Applications
According to the suit, the patent counsel copied large portions of the seminal Fire and Mello patent in patent applications covering inventions by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory researcher Greg Hannon.
February 25, 2010
Exiqon Reaffirms Plan to Pursue miRNA Dx Only Through Partnerships, Provides Few Details on Programs
The company also reported its financial results for 2009, posting a slight increase in its net loss for the year, which included the impact of operations from its now-discontinued Oncotech unit.
February 25, 2010
Regulus, GSK Ink Second miRNA Rx Collaboration
The newest deal will focus on miRNA-122, with hepatitis C infection as the initial indication.
February 25, 2010
Alnylam Begins Phase IIb Study of RSV Therapy
Alnylam previously released data from a phase IIa study of the drug in RSV-infected adult lung transplant patients showing that it was safe and well tolerated. While the data indicated a certain level of efficacy, this demonstration was less robust than many industry watchers had expected.
February 25, 2010
