Rosetta Genomics this week announced that it has been awarded a $200,000 grant along with Ramot, Tel Aviv University’s technology-transfer company, to develop microRNA-targeting cancer drugs.
According to the company, the initial focus of the alliance will be on developing a mimic of miR-34a delivered using a polymeric carrier. The miRNA is a tumor suppressor downregulated in a variety of cancers, Rosetta said.
Notably, a miR-34a mimic developed by Mirna Therapeutics is already in the clinic as a cancer treatment (GSN 5/2/2013).