Alnylam Pharmaceuticals and Isis Pharmaceuticals said last week that the Japan Patent Office has said it will grant a patent on an application from the so-called Tuschl-III patent series, which relates to the therapeutic use of microRNAs.
The patent application — 2003-532675 — is owned by the Max Planck Institute, but is exclusively licensed to miRNA drug developer and Alnylam/Isis joint venture Regulus Therapeutics.
According to the companies, the application's claims cover miR-122, a liver-specific miRNA and hepatitis C target, and the use of single- and double-stranded antisense compounds complementary to it, its precursors, and analogs.