Title: Methods of Modulating Lipid Concentrations in Eukaryotic Cells
Patent Number: 8,435,790
Filed: July 24, 2009
Lead Inventor: Robert Farese, University of California, Oakland
The invention, the patent’s abstract states, is based on “the discovery of a set of genes that are involved in lipid-droplet formation and regulation. Accordingly, the … invention provides methods of increasing or decreasing lipid concentrations in eukaryotic cells by decreasing or increasing expression of one of these genes. Increased lipid concentrations may be useful, for example, in the generation of biofuels. Decreased lipid concentration may be useful in the treatment of diseases characterized by excessive lipid storage. In addition, the invention provides methods of identifying markers of diseases characterized by excessive lipid storage.”
The patent specifically claims the use of RNAi to regulate target genes.
Title: Methods and Compositions for Increasing the Activity of Inhibitory RNA
Patent Number: 8,435,961
Filed: June 23, 2010
Lead Inventor: Paul Chang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
“The invention provides methods for increasing the activity of an inhibitory RNA in a subject requiring administering one or more poly-ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitors and/or one or more PARG activators,” the patent’s abstract states. “The invention also provides methods for increasing the activity of an inhibitory RNA in a cell or cell population requiring contacting a cell or cell population with one or more PARP inhibitors and/or one or more PARG activators. The invention further provides compositions and kits containing one or more PARP inhibitors and/or one or more PARG activators.”
Title: Cationic Lipid
Application Number: 20130108685
Filed: April 28, 2011
Lead Inventor: Takeshi Kuboyama, Kyowa Hakko Kirin
The invention, the patent application’s abstract states, relates to “a cationic lipid, which allow[s] nucleic acids to be easily introduced into cells.”
Title: Method for the Delivery of Oligonucleotides
Application Number: 20130108686
Filed: Oct. 26, 2012
Lead Inventor: Ramon Eritja Casadella, University of Barcelona
“The invention relates to a method for obtaining formulations [that] improve the binding capacity of siRNAs in relation to plasma components … promote the transport of siRNA in the blood … increase the passage of siRNA through the cell membrane and, consequently … increase the inhibitory activity of siRNA,” according to the patent application’s abstract. “The invention also relates to a method for obtaining a formulation comprising siRNA associated with plasma components … [that] includes a step in which the plasma components are dispersed in an aqueous medium.”
Title: microRNA as a Cancer Progression Predictor and Its Use for Treating Cancer
Application Number: 20130108691
Filed: Dec. 21, 2012
Lead Inventor: Shih-Hwa Chiou, Taipei Veterans General Hospital
The invention is “based on the findings that a novel function for miR142-3p in the regulation of Sox2, adenylyl cyclase 9, and CD133 expressions, and consequently the overall stemness of recurrent [glioblastoma multiforme] cells, as well as [cancer stem cells], and that miR142-3p modulated tumor-initiating properties in recurrent” glioblastoma multiforme, according to the patent application’s abstract. The invention “consequently supports the development of novel miRNA-based strategies for brain tumor treatment.”
Title: Baculovirus-mediated Transgene Expression in Both Mammalian and Insect Cells
Application Number: 20130109077
Filed: Oct. 26, 2011
Lead Inventor: Yu-Chan Chao, Academia Sinica
“This invention relates to a method for expressing a gene in a cell,” the patent application’s abstract states. “The method includes introducing into a cell an agent that inhibits one or both of miRNA pathway and antiviral defense pathway; and a baculovirus that contains a nucleic acid molecule including a gene operably linked to a promoter; and expressing the gene in the cell.”
Title: Compositions and Methods for Short Interfering Nucleic Acid Inhibition of Nav1.8
Application Number: 20130109739
Filed: Oct. 16, 2012
Lead Inventor: Sameer Goregaoker, Merck
The invention, the patent application’s abstract states, provides “short interfering nucleic acids, either single-stranded or double-stranded, that cause RNAi-induced degradation of mRNA from the Nav1.8 sodium channel gene.” It also relates to “pharmaceutical compositions comprising such short interfering nucleic acids, recombinant vectors comprising such short interfering nucleic acids, a method for inhibiting translation of an mRNA, a method for inhibiting expression of a polypeptide, a method for blocking the membrane potential in a cell, a method for blocking the sodium current in a cell, and a method for inhibiting chronic pain.”
Title: Methods and Compositions for the Specific Inhibition of Beta-Catenin by Double-Stranded RNA
Application Number: 20130109740
Filed: Dec. 18, 2012
Lead Inventor: Bob Brown, Dicerna Pharmaceuticals
“This invention relates to compounds, compositions, and methods useful for reducing beta-catenin target RNA and protein levels via use of dsRNAs,” the patent application’s abstract states.
Title: miRNA and Its Diagnostic and Therapeutic Uses in Diseases or Conditions Associated with Melanoma, or in Diseases or Conditions Associated with Activated BRAF Pathway
Application Number: 20130109741
Filed: Jan. 4, 2013
Lead Inventor: Eugene Berezikov, InteRNA Technologies
“The invention relates to the diagnostic and therapeutic uses of a miRNA molecule, an equivalent, or a source thereof in a disease and condition associated with melanoma or a disease or a condition associated with activated BRAF pathway,” the patent application’s abstract states.
Title: Nucleic Acid Delivery Composition and Carrier Composition, Pharmaceutical Composition Using the Same, and Method for Delivering Nucleic Acid
Application Number: 20130109743
Filed: July 11, 2011
Lead Inventor: Kazunori Kataoka, University of Tokyo
The invention comprises a “nucleic acid delivery composition … [that] has reduced cytotoxicity and improved nucleic acid-introduction efficiency and gene-expression efficiency,” the patent application’s abstract states. “The composition comprises a block copolymer having an uncharged hydrophilic polymer segment and a cationic polymer segment; a cationic polymer; and a nucleic acid, wherein the mole percentage of the cationic groups of the block copolymer to the total cationic groups of the block copolymer and the cationic polymer is between 25 percent and 90 percent.”
Title: RNA Containing Modified Nucleosides and Methods of Use Thereof
Application Number: 20130111615
Filed: Aug. 14, 2012
Lead Inventor: Katalin Kariko, University of Pennsylvania
“This invention provides RNA, oligoribonucleotide, and polyribonucleotide molecules comprising pseudouridine or a modified nucleoside,” the patent application’s abstract states. Also claimed are “gene therapy vectors … methods of synthesizing [the oligos], and methods for gene replacement, gene therapy, gene transcription silencing, and the delivery of therapeutic proteins to tissue in vivo, comprising the molecules. The … invention also provides methods of reducing the immunogenicity of RNA, oligoribonucleotide, and polyribonucleotide molecules.”
Title: Methods and Compositions for Silencing Genes using Artificial microRNAs
Application Number: 20130111634
Filed: Oct. 26, 2012
Lead Inventor: Itzhak Kurek, DuPont
The invention, the patent application’s abstract states, comprises methods and compositions employing a microRNA that, when expressed in a plant cell, is “capable of reducing the level of mRNA of a target sequence without reducing the level of mRNA of one or more closely related sequences.
“While miRNAs can be designed with specificity for a particular target sequence, the … application demonstrates that a miRNA can specifically silence a target sequence without silencing a closely related sequence having high sequence identity to the target sequence. In certain embodiments, an endogenous target sequence can be suppressed with a recombinant miRNA expression construct without silencing a recombinant polynucleotide of interest having a sequence closely related to the target sequence. Such methods and compositions employ recombinant miRNA expression constructs [that] produce a 21 [nucleotide] miRNA. Transgenic plant cells, plants and seeds incorporating miRNA expression constructs and recombinant polynucleotide constructs comprising polynucleotides of interest are also provided.”