NSTK. Nastech Presents Positive Results on RNA Interference Program for Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting
Thursday November 17, 11:50 am ET
BOTHELL, Wash., Nov. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Nastech Pharmaceutical Company Inc. (Nasdaq: NSTK - News), a leader in developing therapeutics using advanced molecular biology-based drug delivery technologies, announced the presentation of data from its RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutic program for rheumatoid arthritis at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting.
The presentation titled "Development of siRNAs Targeting Human Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-alpha) for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis" included information resulting from a collaboration with Mayo Validation Support Services. Nastech's proprietary RNAi therapeutic formulations were screened for the ability to halt the production of TNF-alpha, a protein that is over-expressed in rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic inflammatory diseases. Results demonstrated that Nastech's proprietary RNAi therapeutics were able to significantly reduce TNF-alpha levels in cells from patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
The study also profiled TNF-alpha messenger RNA and protein levels in rheumatoid arthritis patients who are currently on the approved therapies. Such patients were unexpectedly shown to have elevated TNF-alpha messenger RNA in their immune cells and TNF-alpha protein in their blood.
"This study confirms that there are actually increased TNF-alpha levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who are currently being treated with therapies which are described as TNF-alpha inhibitors," stated Steven C. Quay, M.D., Ph.D., Chairman, President and CEO of Nastech. "This evidence and the demonstration that our RNAi therapeutic significantly reduced the TNF-alpha levels in patients' immune cells supports the idea that the effect of RNAi is distinctively different from that of the approved therapies, and may provide a more effective treatment option." |
