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Biotech / Medical : RNAi -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: BulbaMan who wrote (82)	9/9/2003 8:48:36 PM
From: SemiBull	Respond to of 671

Invitrogen Bolsters Leading Position in RNAi Research Tuesday September 9, 7:02 am ET New Systems Add to Superior Delivery Technologies and Offer Total Solution CARLSBAD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 9, 2003--Invitrogen Corporation (Nasdaq:IVGN - News), a provider of technologies for disease research and the leader in delivery of siRNA, today expanded its solutions for RNA interference (RNAi) with the introduction of the BLOCK-iT(TM) RNAi family of products. The BLOCK-iT(TM) RNAi family includes custom synthetic short-interfering RNA (siRNA), a Dicer system, a transfection kit and a transcription kit. This product suite will drive the understanding of genes and proteins by providing an easy, effective platform to study the effects of turning genes "off." RNAi has rapidly become one of the most chosen techniques in drug discovery research. Using RNAi technology, scientists can turn genes "off," enabling them to observe a cell's behavior in the absence of the targeted gene's protein product. This may lead to better understanding of disease mechanisms and eventually, better therapies. "RNAi is changing the way scientists look at drug development," said Dr. John Carrino, Invitrogen's Chief Scientist. "To truly take advantage of this new technology, researchers need a complete system that keeps up with their evolving applications. Invitrogen's BLOCK-iT(TM) RNAi platform provides the total solution they need to drive their discovery efforts." The BLOCK-iT(TM) RNAi platform builds upon the success of the industry-leading solutions for delivery of siRNA -- Invitrogen's Lipofectamine(TM) 2000 and Oligofectamine(TM) transfection reagents. "As the foremost innovator in life science, we are re-shaping drug discovery with total solutions in key areas of emerging research," said Invitrogen Senior Vice President, R&D, Claude Benchimol. "We have seen the impact that RNAi is making and have responded with the industry's leading family of products. We will continue to provide innovative additions to the BLOCK-iT(TM) platform to lead researchers to new levels in RNAi research." The BLOCK-iT(TM) RNAi family strengthens Invitrogen's position as the essential partner in drug discovery research. Invitrogen's myriad solutions in biological discovery, biological production systems and bio-informatics provide scientists with an operating system to help them solve the puzzle of human disease. "The BLOCK-iT(TM) platform's total solution to RNAi research exemplifies our commitment to providing breakthrough innovations that enable scientists to push the limits of discovery," said Invitrogen's President and CEO, Gregory T. Lucier. "RNAi will yield some of the most important advances in drug discovery in the coming years. Invitrogen will be the company making them possible." For more information on the BLOCK-iT(TM) RNAi line of products, visit www.invitrogen.com/RNAi About Invitrogen Invitrogen Corporation (Nasdaq:IVGN - News) provides products and services that support academic and government research institutions and pharmaceutical and biotech companies worldwide in their efforts to improve the human condition. The company provides essential life science technologies for disease research, drug discovery, and commercial bio-production. Invitrogen's own research and development efforts are focused on breakthrough innovation in all major areas of biological discovery including functional genomics, proteomics, bio-informatics and cell biology -- placing Invitrogen's products in nearly every major laboratory in the world. Founded in 1987, Invitrogen is headquartered in Carlsbad, California and conducts business in more than 70 countries around the world. The company globally employs approximately 3,000 scientists and other professionals. For more information about Invitrogen visit the company's web site at www.invitrogen.com. Safe Harbor Statement Certain statements contained in this press release are considered "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and it is Invitrogen's intent that such statements be protected by the safe harbor created thereby. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to statements that: 1) the BLOCK-iT RNAi product suite will drive the understanding of genes and proteins by providing an easy, effective platform to study the effects of turning genes off; 2) RNAi research will lead to better understanding of disease mechanisms and better therapies; 3) the BLOCK-iT RNAi platform provides the total solution researchers need to drive their discovery; 4) Invitrogen will provide innovative additions to further the BLOCK-iT RNAi platform or that these products will be adopted by researchers; 5) Invitrogen will continue to provide products that speed solutions to the puzzles of human disease; and 6) Invitrogen and RNAi will make possible some of the most important advances in drug discovery. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risks that: a) competitive technologies, products or changes in scientific research or funding have a negative impact on Invitrogen's RNAi sales; b) RNAi technologies may not be adopted by research and drug discovery customers; c) the research conditions and applications under which the BLOCK-iT RNAi system is used may not produce favorable or expected results; d) RNAi technologies will not produce effective therapies against disease; e) Invitrogen's R&D effort and focus may change, as well as other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in Invitrogen's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Contact: Invitrogen Corporation Greg Geissman, 760-476-7032 (Media) greg.geissman@invitrogen.com or Paul Goodson, 760-603-7208 (Investors) paul.goodson@invitrogen.com Source: Invitrogen Corporation

To: BulbaMan who wrote (82)	9/10/2003 11:10:35 AM
From: tuck	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 671

A bit of extra color from GenomeWeb on the Sirna/Tuschl license . . . >>Sirna Licenses Tuschl’s RNAi Technology from UMass By a GenomeWeb staff reporter This article has been updated from a previous version to include comments from a Sirna Therapeutics spokeswoman and additional information on other licensees of the intellectual property. NEW YORK, Sept. 9 (GenomeWeb News) - Sirna Therapeutics of Boulder, Colo., has entered into a worldwide license agreement with the University of Massachusetts Medical School for RNA interference technology covering short interfering RNA, the company said today. The license covers a patent application filed by RNAi pioneer Thomas Tuschl and colleagues (International PCT Publication No. WO 01/75164), which was jointly developed and is owned by the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Max-Planck Institute, Whitehead Institute, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Tuschl is now at Rockefeller University. The patent covers the use of siRNAs in inhibiting gene expression in mammalian cells. The license grants Sirna rights to the "undivided interest" of the Medical School in the Tuschl et al., IP for uses relating to human and veterinary therapeutic, prophylactic, diagnostic, and health care applications. A Sirna spokeswoman told GenomeWeb News that the deal gives Sirna "exclusive access to UMass's position" on the intellectual property, except for a limited number of targets for which the company has non-exclusive rights to the technology. Alnylam Holdings, one of Sirna's competitors in the RNAi sector, previously licensed the remaining portion of the intellectual property owned by Max-Planck, Whitehead, and MIT. Under the terms of the license agreement, the UMass Medical School will receive licensing fees in cash and common stock from Sirna, and may receive additional cash and common stock following the achievement of certain milestones. The Medical School may also receive royalties on commercial product sales covered by the licensed patents. Sirna said that it would share any revenues generated from the sublicensing of the patent to the Medical School. Howard Robin, president and CEO of Sirna, said the company plans "to broadly offer sublicenses to this intellectual property." Sirna said in August that it plans to begin clinical trials of at least one siRNA drug candidate next year.<< Cheers, Tuck