Title: Method for Treatment of Angiogenic Disorders. Number: 20040224914. Filed: April 19, 2004. Lead Inventor: John Jackson, University of British Columbia.
The patent application’s abstract states that the invention is “a therapeutic method for treatment of non-cancerous angiogenesis-related diseases [that] involves administering a therapeutically effective amount of a composition effective to reduce the effective amount of clusterin in the individual. Preferred therapeutic compositions contain antisense oligonucleotides which reduce the effective amount of clusterin,” it adds.
Title: Devices and Processes for Distribution of Genetic Material to Mammalian Limb. Number: 20040224879. Filed: May 5, 2003. Lead Inventor: Jon Wolff, Mirus.
The invention, the patent application’s abstract states, comprises a “process … for the delivery of a therapeutic polynucleotide to limb muscle tissue suffering from or potentially suffering from ischemia.”
The abstract notes that “the polynucleotide is inserted into a mammalian limb vessel such as an artery. Delivery efficiency and distribution is enhanced by combining injection of a solution containing the polynucleotide with the use of an externally applied cuff.”
Title: SiRNA-Induced Systemic Gene Silencing in Mammalian Systems. Number: 20040224405. Filed: May 6, 2003. Lead Inventor: Devin Leake, Dharmacon.
“The … invention is directed to methods and compositions for performing gene silencing in mammalian cells by targeting a region of a non-protein coding target nucleic acid sequence with at least one siRNA molecule comprising a duplex region of between 19 and 30 base pairs,” the patent application’s abstract states.
Title: SiRNA Screening Method. Number: 20040224328. Filed: Jan. 12, 2004. Lead Inventor: Hans Prydz, University of Oslo.
The invention comprises “a method for utilizing siRNA for the detection of optimal siRNA targeting sites capable of affecting the level of a target nucleic acid, comprising the targeting of one or more sites on an mRNA with one or more siRNA molecules and observing the level of the target nucleic acid,” the patent application’s abstract states.
According to the application, the method involves “providing a suitable range of siRNA molecules directed towards the target nucleic acid,” and “introducing each of the siRNA molecules into a cell or system containing the target nucleic acid.” The method further involves “determining the effect of the siRNA molecules on the level of said target nucleic acid … and identifying the optimal siRNA molecules from the effects.”
Title: Gene Silencing. Number: 20040221337. Filed: March 22, 3004. Lead Inventor: David Baulcombe, Plant Bioscience.
According to the patent application’s abstract, the invention comprises “methods … for screening of the occurrence of gene silencing (e.g. post transcriptional gene silencing) in an organism. Also provided are methods for isolating silencing agents so identified.”
The application specifically claims “a method … of introducing into the organism a silencing agent which targets a targeted region of said target gene, wherein the silencing agent comprises short RNA molecules [that] are 25 nucleotides in length plus or minus 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 nucleotides, and which are specific for the targeted region of the target gene.”