Sequencing and Analysis of the Hydra Genome
Chapman, Kirkness et al., Nature
An international research collaboration reports their sequencing and analysis of the Hydra magnipapillata genome, and compare it to the genomes of several other organisms. "The Hydra genome has been shaped by bursts of transposable element expansion, horizontal gene transfer, trans-splicing, and simplification of gene structure and gene content that parallel simplification of the Hydra life cycle," the authors write. They team suggests that comparisons of the Hydra genome to the reported sequences of other animals have helped them to elucidate the evolution of several of the organism's characteristics.
Rosetta Aims to Use miRNAs as Biomarkers for Pharmaceutical R&D
Rosetta's president and CEO also noted that the company continues to work in the miRNA therapeutics space, but indicated that its collaboration with Regulus Therapeutics to develop a liver cancer drug has officially ended.
March 18, 2010
NIH to Fund Projects Examining Cellular Responses to siRNAs, Other Perturbing Agents
The program is designed to support the collection and analysis of "informative molecular activity and cellular feature signatures" in response to siRNAs, small molecules, and other perturbing agents in a variety of cell types.
March 18, 2010
Tekmira Inks siRNA Delivery Tech Deal with Pfizer, Reports Higher Q4 Losses on R&D Spending
"Tekmira will be responsible for preparing the SNALP formulations and Pfizer will evaluate the formulations in preclinical models," the companies said.
March 18, 2010
USPTO Allows Claims on Regulus miRNA Patent Application
The application, owned by Stanford University and exclusively licensed to Regulus, claims methods of antagonizing miR-181a to regulate immune response.
March 18, 2010
Gradalis Moves shRNA Drug into Clinic, Plans Follow-on Trial for Later in the Year
The ongoing trial is expected to help lay the groundwork for a follow-on cancer therapy that will also incorporate the company's novel RNAi approach, and is expected to enter phase I testing around the third quarter.
March 11, 2010
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 11, 2010
NIH Awards More Than $800K in March to Fund Three miRNA-Related Research Projects
The awards will support projects investigating the roles the small, non-coding RNAs play in cancer and asthma.
March 11, 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
