ZaBeCor Forms Subsidiary to Focus on Cancer
Private RNAi drug developer ZaBeCor said this week that it has formed a subsidiary called Biothorpe Pharmaceuticals to develop siRNAs, antisense compounds, and other molecular technologies as treatments for cancer.
ZaBeCor was founded in 2002 using technology licensed from the University of Pennsylvania, including the use of siRNAs against an intracellular kinase called Syk that is associated with numerous inflammatory responses (see RNAi News, 6/8/2006).
According to the company, Syk kinase is also required for cellular proliferation in several cancers. As such, the company intends to license its intellectual property to Biothorpe for use in developing treatments for acute myelogenous leukemia, B cell lymphoma, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
ZaBeCor will continue to focus on inflammatory disorders, it added.
Rosetta Liver Cancer Partnership with Isis Transferred to Regulus
Rosetta Genomics this week announced that its collaboration with Isis Pharmaceuticals to develop a miRNA-targeting treatment for liver cancer has been transferred to Regulus Therapeutics, a miRNA joint venture between Isis and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals.
According to Rosetta, the arrangement will continue under the same terms and conditions of the original deal (see RNAi News, 2/23/2006).
MDRNA Stock Fails to Meet Nasdaq Listing Requirement
MDRNA said this week that it has received a notice from the Nasdaq Stock Market that its stock has failed to comply with the exchange’s minimum bid price requirement after trading below $1 per share for 30 consecutive days.
As a result, the shares could be delisted.
The company said it has 180 days to regain compliance, which requires that the stock trade at or above the $1 for a minimum of 10 consecutive days.