Title: Long-Circulating Liposomal Compositions. Number: 20050002999. Filed: June 4, 2004. Lead Inventor: Rahul Mehta, Isis Pharmaceuticals.
According to the patent application’s abstract, the invention is “a liposome comprising about 1 [to] 25 mol [percent] of a phosphatidylglycerol component and about 38 [to] 62 mol [percent] of a phosphatidylcholine component. In some embodiments, the liposomes further comprise a sterol component, for example a cholesterol.”
The application notes that the invention includes a liposomal composition encapsulating an siRNA.
Title: Methods and Systems for Identifying Naturally Occurring Antisense Transcripts and Methods, Kits, and Arrays Utilizing the Same. Number: 20050009771. Filed: Jan. 27, 2004. Lead Inventor: Erez Levanon, Compugen.
According to the patent application’s abstract, the invention comprises “a method of identifying putative naturally occurring antisense transcripts. The method is effected by … computationally aligning a first database including sense-oriented polynucleotide sequences with a second database including expressed polynucleotide sequences; and … identifying expressed polynucleotide sequences from the second database being capable of forming a duplex with at least one sense-oriented polynucleotide sequence of the first database, thereby identifying putative naturally occurring antisense transcripts.
“Also provided are polynucleotides and polypeptide sequences identified by the above-described methodology,” the abstract notes.
Title: Telomerase Interference. Number: 20050009177. Filed: April 22, 2004. Lead Inventor: Peter Rowley, University of Rochester School of Medicine.
“The invention relates to nucleic acids encoding or comprising interfering RNAs which target telomerase RNA or mRNA encoding the telomerase reverse transcriptase,” the patent application’s abstract states. “The invention includes methods for inhibiting telomerase activity expression vectors, and pharmaceutical compositions.”
Title: Oligonucleotides Which Inhibit Expression of the OB-RGRP Protein and Method for Detecting Compounds Which Modify Interaction Between Proteins of the OB-RGRP Family and Leptin Receptor. Number: 20050009042. Filed: Feb. 9, 2004. Lead Inventor: Ralf Jockers, Aventis Pharmaceuticals.
“The [invention] relates to oligonucleotides which inhibit expression of the OB-RGRP protein and to uses thereof for preventing and/or treating leptin-related pathological conditions,” the patent application’s abstract states. “It also relates to a method for detecting compounds which modify the interaction between proteins of the OB-RGRP family and the leptin receptor. This detection may be carried out by measuring the energy transfer between fusion proteins composed of these proteins and of energy-donor and -acceptor proteins.”
Title: Compositions and Methods for Delivery of Short-Interfering RNA and Short-Hairpin RNA. Number: 20050008617. Filed: Filed: Sept. 29, 2003. Lead Inventor: Jianzhu Chen, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Galenea).
“The … invention provides compositions comprising an RNAi-inducing entity [and] any of a variety of different delivery agents,” according to the patent application’s abstract. “Preferred RNAi-inducing agents include siRNA, shRNA, and RNAi-inducing vectors. Preferred delivery agents include cationic polymers, modified cationic polymers, lipids, and surfactants suitable for introduction into the lung.
“The invention further provides methods of inhibiting expression of a target transcript in a mammal and methods of treating or preventing a disease or condition in a mammal by administration of the compositions,” the abstract adds.