Title: Orthotopic, Controllable, and Genetically Tractable Non-Human Animal Model for Cancer
Number: 20090022685
Filed: Aug. 15, 2007
Lead Inventor: Scott Lowe, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
“This invention provides a genetically tractable, in situ, non-human animal model for hepatocellular carcinoma,” the patent application’s abstract states. “The model is useful, inter alia, in understanding the molecular mechanisms of liver cancer, in understanding the genetic alterations that lead to chemoresistance or poor prognosis, and in identifying and evaluating new therapies against hepatocellular carcinomas.”
According to the abstract, “the liver cancer model of this invention is made by altering hepatocytes to increase oncogene expression, to reduce tumor suppressor gene expression, or both, preferably by inducible, reversible, and/or tissue specific expression of double-stranded RNA molecules that interfere with the expression of a target gene, and by transplanting the resulting hepatocytes into a recipient non-human animal. The invention further provides a method to treat cancer involving cooperative interactions between a tumor cell senescence program and the innate immune system.”
Title: siRNA Microbicides for Preventing and Treating Diseases
Number: 20090022783
Filed: June 5, 2006 PCT Filed: June 5, 2006
Lead Inventor: Judy Lieberman, Immune Disease Institute (Harvard Medical School)
“The invention provides a microbicidal composition comprising at least one siRNA … [a portion of which] is identical to a target sequence in an essential gene of a virus,” the patent application’s abstract states. “The virus may be a herpesvirus, for example, HSV-1 or HSV-2. Preferably, the herpesvirus is HSV-2. The microbicidal composition further comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Also included in the invention are methods to prevent and treat viral infections by administration of the microbicidal composition … preferably … administered transmucosally.”
Title: Cross-Linking Agent, Cross-Linking Method, Method of Controlling Gene Expression, and Method of Examining Gene Function
Number: 20090023140
Filed: Feb. 27, 2006 PCT Filed: Feb. 27, 2006
Lead Inventor: Toshiaki Furuta, Wako Pure Chemical Industries
The invention, the patent application’s abstract states, “provides a cross-linking agent [with] photodegradable protective groups at two ends to crosslink [a] double-stranded nucleic acid … in particular, [a] double-stranded RNA; a method for cross-linking a double-stranded RNA or the like using the same; a method for regulating gene expression, which can control the expression of a target gene at an arbitrary timing and location; and a method for examining a gene function.”
“Cross-linking between double-stranded nucleic acids … can be easily formed and … can also be easily removed so that the expression of a target gene can be easily controlled at an arbitrary timing and location with high efficiency,” the abstract adds. “As a result, function examination and/or identification of a gene that is expressed at a specific timing and location can be performed. In addition, the RNAi effect of a double-stranded RNA that cannot be easily inhibited by a conventional caged compound can be inhibited, and the expression of a target gene can be easily controlled at an arbitrary timing and location.”
Title: Double-Stranded Oligonucleotides
Number: 20090023216
Filed: July 11, 2007
Inventor: Tod Woolf, Invitrogen
The invention, the patent application’s abstract states, comprises “antisense sequences, including duplex RNAi compositions, which possess improved properties over those taught in the prior art. … The invention provides optimized antisense oligomer compositions and method for making and using the both in in vitro systems and therapeutically. The invention also provides methods of making and using the improved antisense oligomer compositions.”
Title: Oligonucleotide Probes Useful for Detection and Analysis of microRNA Precursors
Number: 20090023221
Filed: May 16, 2007
Lead Inventor: Gregor Obernosterer, Exiqon
“The invention relates to ribonucleic acids and oligonucleotide probes useful for detection and analysis of microRNA precursors and their targets,” according to the patent application’s abstract. “The invention furthermore relates to oligonucleotide probes for detection and analysis of other non-coding RNAs, mRNAs, mRNA splice variants, allelic variants of single transcripts, mutations, deletions, or duplications of particular exons in transcripts, e.g., alterations associated with human disease, such as cancer.”
Title: Regulation of Transgene Expression by RNA Interference
Number: 20090023670
Filed: May 18, 2007
Inventor: Magdolna Sebestyen, Mirus Bio (Roche)
“Expression of transgenes delivered into a host organism cells can be regulated by RNA effector molecules delivered to or present in the host organism cells,” the patent application’s abstract states. “Regulation can be mediated by delivery of RNA interference inducing molecules that target the transgene mRNA or by incorporating engineered RNA effector binding sites into the transgene. Temporary or long term regulation of expression can be achieved depending on the nature and dosing of RNA effector.”
Title: RNAi Agents for Maintenance of Stem Cells
Number: 20090023671
Filed: Jan. 4, 2006 PCT Filed: Jan. 4, 2006
Lead Inventor: Sarah Brashears
The invention, the patent application’s abstract states, “provides compositions and methods suitable for delivering RNAi agents against genetic targets in stem cells so as to direct cell growth and differentiation.”
Title: Lipid-Containing Formulations
Number: 20090023673
Filed: March 26, 2008
Lead Inventor: Muthiah Manoharan, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
The patent application, its abstract states, claims “compositions and methods useful in administering nucleic acid-based therapies, for example, association complexes such as liposomes and lipoplexes.”
Title: RNA Interference-Mediated Inhibition of Gene Expression Using Chemically Modified Short Interfering Nucleic Acid
Number: 20090023675
Filed: April 17, 2008
Lead Inventor: James McSwiggen, Sirna Therapeutics (Merck)
The invention, the patent application’s abstract states, “concerns methods and reagents useful in modulating gene expression in a variety of applications, including use in therapeutic, diagnostic, target-validation, and genomic-discovery applications. Specifically, the invention relates to synthetic chemically modified small nucleic acid molecules … molecules capable of mediating RNA interference against target nucleic acid sequences. The small nucleic acid molecules are useful in the treatment of any disease or condition that responds to modulation of gene expression or activity in a cell, tissue, or organism.”
Title: RNA Interference-Mediated Inhibition of MAP Kinase Gene Expression or Expression of Genes Involved in MAP Kinase Pathway Using Short Interfering Nucleic Acid
Number: 20090023676
Filed: Aug. 29, 2008
Lead Inventor: James McSwiggen, Sirna Therapeutics (Merck)
The invention, the patent application’s abstract states, “concerns methods and reagents useful in modulating MAP kinase gene expression in a variety of applications, including use in therapeutic, diagnostic, target-validation, and genomic-discovery applications. Specifically, the invention relates to small nucleic acid molecules … capable of mediating RNA interference against c-JUN, JNK, p38, and ERK gene expression, useful in the treatment of cancer, inflammation, obesity and insulin resistance.”
Title: siRNA Targeting Kinesin Spindle Protein
Number: 20090023907
Filed: July 23, 2007
Lead Inventor: Anastasia Khvorova, Dharmacon (Thermo Fisher Scientific)
“Efficient sequence-specific gene silencing is possible through the use of siRNA technology,” the patent application’s abstract states. “By selecting particular siRNAs by rational design, one can maximize the generation of an effective gene-silencing reagent, as well as methods for silencing genes. Methods, compositions, and kits generated through rational design of siRNAs are disclosed including those directed to KSP.”
Title: siRNA Targeting Ribosomal Protein S2
Number: 20090023908
Filed: July 27, 2007
Lead Inventor: Anastasia Khvorova, Dharmacon (Thermo Fisher Scientific)
“Efficient sequence-specific gene silencing is possible through the use of siRNA technology,” the patent application’s abstract states. “By selecting particular siRNAs by rational design, one can maximize the generation of an effective gene-silencing reagent, as well as methods for silencing genes. Methods, compositions, and kits generated through rational design of siRNAs are disclosed including those directed to RPS2.”
Title: shRNA and siRNA and miRNA Expression in a Living Organism Under Control of a Codon-Optimized Repressor Gene
Number: 20090025097
Filed: May 9, 2008
Lead Inventor: Jost Seibler, Artemis Pharmaceuticals
The patent application, its abstract states, claims “a biological entity, notably a rat, carrying a regulator construct comprising a specific repressor gene and a responder construct [with] least one segment corresponding to a short hairpin RNA or corresponding to complementary short interfering RNA strands or corresponding to miRNA.”
In the invention, the aforementioned segment is “under control of a promoter [that] contains an operator sequence corresponding to the repressor,” the abstract notes, adding that “the invention further relates to a method for preparing said biological entity and its use.”