Title: Interfering Stem-Loop Structures and Methods for Identifying
Number: 20060015264
Filed: June 2, 2004
Lead Inventor: Andrew McShea, CombiMatrix
The patent application, its abstract states, covers "a method for identifying stem-loop structures within a genome.
"A plurality of stem-loop structures, compounds of stem-loop structures, pharmaceutical compositions of stem-loop structures, and treatment methods for affecting a condition or disease in an organism using stem-loop structures is provided," the abstract states. "The method is for rapidly identifying and screening small inhibitory stem-loop structures of RNA or DNA sequences of any genome, wherein those sequences or combinations thereof can be administered to obtain a desirable biological affect in a human or other organism for treatment of a condition or a disease. The method is used for rapidly identifying and screening small inhibitory stem-loop structures of a viral RNA (viRNA), wherein the viRNA's prevents death in transfected cells programmed for cell death thus providing siRNA-type compositions for use in treating inflammatory conditions in humans or other species."
Title: Methods and Compositions for Enhancing Delivery of Double-Stranded RNA or a Double-Stranded Hybrid Nucleic Acid to Regulate Gene Expression in Mammalian Cells
Number: 20060014289
Filed: April 15, 2005
Lead Inventor: Mohammad Ahmadian, Nastech Pharmaceutical
"Cholesterol moieties are linked to specific ends of double-stranded RNA, preferably a small, interfering RNA or to a dsHybrid," the patent application's abstract states. "The dsHybrid has one strand comprised of DNA and one strand comprised of RNA. Preferably the sense strand is the DNA strand and the antisense strand is the RNA strand of the dsHybrid."
The invention, the abstract notes, is "based upon the discovery that a cholesterol moiety, if linked to a specific end or ends of the sense or antisense strands of a siRNA, can enhance the delivery and silencing efficiency of the siRNA directed against its target message, in comparison with a corresponding, non-conjugated siRNA. Conjugated siRNAs and dsHybrids of the invention are optionally formulated with, or coordinately administered with, a secondary delivery-enhancing agent, such as a delivery-enhancing peptide, to enhance intracellular delivery and uptake of the conjugated siRNAs or dsHybrid."