NEW YORK, June 12 - Exelixis and RNA and RNA-interference company Dharmacon intend to develop a short-interfering RNA library for roughly 600 proprietary and publicly available genes.
Dharmacon said it will use its SMARTselection and SMARTpool technology to help create the library, which is intended to find compounds for kinases and "other high priority drug-discovery targets." Additionally, the company's 2'-ACE RNA synthesis chemistry will help manufacture it. Both Exelixis and Dharmacon will also apply their bioinformatics capabilities to develop the library, the companies said.
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Exelixis plans to use the resulting siRNA reagents for high throughput functional-genomic studies designed to characterize drug targets and pathways in mammalian models. Dharmacon, for its part, will offer its customers siRNA research tools for the publicly available genes used in the research.
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The companies expect the siRNA library to be completed during the third quarter of the year.