Title: Nucleic Acids Involved in Viral Infection
Patent Number: 8,481,506
Filed: Dec. 5, 2007
Lead Inventor: Isaac Bentwich, Rosetta Genomics
The patent, its abstract states, claims “isolated viral and human nucleic acids associated with viral infection and various nucleic acid molecules relating thereto or derived therefrom. The nucleic acids may be useful for the prevention, treatment, and diagnosis of viral infections.”
Title: Ultra-small RNAs as Toll-like Receptor-3 Antagonists
Patent Number: 8,481,508
Filed: Feb. 20, 2009
Inventor: Jayakrishna Ambati, University of Kentucky
The patent, its abstract states, claims “methods and compositions for the treatment or prevention of macular degeneration or other diseases or disorders associated with activation of TLR3. Administration of double-stranded RNAs having a length of 22 nucleotides or less treats or prevents macular degeneration or other diseases or disorders associated with activation of TLR3 due to the ability of the RNAs to bind to, but not activate, TLR3. Furthermore, all double-stranded RNAs of 22 nucleotides or less in length can bind to but not activate TLR3 and thereby treat or prevent such conditions. Also provided is a method for increasing the specificity of a desire siRNA target knockdown, the method comprising administering an amount of a target siRNA sufficient to knockdown a target gene and an amount of a double-stranded RNA of 22 nucleotides or less which prevents the target siRNA from activating TLR3.”
Title: RNA Interference Suppression of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Methods of Use Thereof
Patent Number: 8,481,710
Filed: Dec. 9, 2010
Lead Inventor: Beverly Davidson, University of Iowa
The invention, the patent’s abstract states, comprises “small interfering RNA molecules targeted against nucleic acid sequence that encodes huntingtin or ataxin-1, and methods of using these siRNA molecules.”
Title: Drug Carrier and Drug Carrier Kit for Inhibiting Fibrosis
Application Number: 20130171240
Filed: March 6, 2013
Lead Inventor: Yoshiro Niitsu, Nitto Denko
The invention, the patent application’s abstract states, comprises a “stellate cell-specific drug carrier comprising a stellate cell-specific amount of a retinoid derivative and/or a vitamin A analogue, and a drug carrier component other than the retinoid derivative, and/or a vitamin A analogue. Also disclosed is a medicine comprising the stellate cell-specific drug carrier, and a drug in an amount effective for controlling the activity or growth of stellate cells.”
Title: Single-stranded RNAi Agents Containing an Internal, Non-nucleic Acid Spacer
Application Number: 20130171242
Filed: Aug. 19, 2011
Lead Inventor: Lee Lim, Merck
The patent application, its abstract states, claims “single-stranded RNA molecules comprise one or more internal, non-nucleotide spacers, covalently linked with nucleotide portions of the molecule. … The single-stranded RNA molecules function as guide or antisense strands that are capable of inhibiting gene expression via an RNA interference mechanism, and thus represent single-stranded RNAi agents. The single-stranded RNAi molecules can be used in methods for a variety of therapeutic, diagnostic, target validation, genomic discovery, genetic engineering, and pharmacogenomic applications.”
Title: Methods and Means for Predicting or Diagnosing Diabetes or Cardiovascular Disorders Based on microRNA
Application Number: 20130171649
Filed: June 6, 2011
Lead Inventor: Manuel Mayr, King’s College London
The invention relates to “a method of detecting diabetes and associated complications … [as well as] a method of predicting diabetes,” the patent application’s abstract states. “The … invention also relates to a method of detecting and/or predicting vascular disorders and cardiovascular disorders … [and] to kits for performing the methods of the … invention.”
Title: Compositions and Methods for Silencing SMAD4
Application Number: 20130172405
Filed: Dec. 21, 2012
Lead Inventor: Ammen Dhillon, Protiva Biotherapeutics (Tekmira Pharmaceuticals)
The invention relates to “compositions comprising therapeutic nucleic acids such as interfering RNA that target SMAD4 gene expression, lipid particles comprising one or more of the therapeutic nucleic acids, methods of making the lipid particles, and methods of delivering and/or administering the lipid particles,” the patent application’s abstract states.