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

To: Thomas who wrote (219)	5/12/2004 1:37:56 PM
From: Thomas	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 671

More from atugen, including quote and patent app number. Cheers, Thomas atugen AG demonstrates in vivo proof-of-concept in siRNA therapeutics atugen AG, The Gene Silencing Company, announced today that it has demonstrated, in vivo, proof-of-concept in functional delivery of its highly stable siRNA therapeutics. In a series of repeat studies to test glucose tolerance in normal rodents, atugen’s siRNA therapy was shown to be effective in regulating blood sugar levels. In the study, treatment with stabilized siRNA molecules (atuRNAi) through clinically-relevant i.v. infusion led to downregulation of a target which plays a significant role in regulating glucose metabolism in vivo. Compared to the control group, atuRNAi produced lower peak glucose levels with a return to near normal levels after two hours. In contrast, in animals treated with inactivated siRNA molecules, glucose levels rose to very high levels and failed to revert to normal within two hours. The preclinical in vivo studies utilised a type II diabetes disease model in which an insulin-independent signalling pathway was turned on. Said Dr. Klaus Giese, “In this series of studies we have demonstrated robust and very reproducible tissue uptake and function of atugen’s proprietary siRNA therapeutic molecules. We are now moving on to animal studies in various cancer models.” atugen’s patent application EP1389637 was published on 18 February 2004. The proprietary ‘composition of matter’ patent covers atugen’s own stabilized siRNA structures.

To: Thomas who wrote (219)	6/7/2004 12:42:52 PM
From: tuck	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 671

Sirna is being vague about its delivery methods; if the numbers fit the hype, well . . . good! Anybody sifted through their IP for delivery methods? >>BOULDER, Colo., June 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sirna Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: RNAI - News) today announced in a presentation at the BIO 2004 Annual International Convention that it has demonstrated reproducible and robust preclinical systemic efficacy using its proprietary chemically modified and formulated short interfering RNAs (siRNAs). Nassim Usman, Ph.D., Sirna's Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, presented the Company's preclinical results during today's morning panel discussion, "RNAi: The New Frontier in Gene Silencing." Dr. Usman reported, "About a year and a half ago, Science Magazine named RNAi, or RNA interference, as the leading scientific 'Breakthrough of the Year.' Sirna has overcome major hurdles to transform this breakthrough science into a clinical-stage compound and to establish a robust portfolio of preclinical leads. The Company and its collaborators have demonstrated systemic efficacy in several different animal models of disease, using routes of administration that are appropriate for a human therapeutic." Using normal systemic delivery Sirna researchers have achieved a reproducible one-log reduction of hepatitis B (HBV) viral DNA and S-antigen in a preclinical animal model using Sirna's proprietary modified siRNAs. The Company is using HBV as a surrogate model of hepatitis C (HCV) infection. Based on these groundbreaking results the Company expects to select an HCV clinical candidate by the end of this year. As a further demonstration of the remarkable power of the RNAi mechanism and Sirna's proprietary modified siRNAs, the Company has developed siRNAs that provide long-term duration of effect in an animal model. Sirna researchers, in collaboration with Dr. Beverly Davidson, Professor at the University of Iowa, have achieved a 75 - 95% knockdown of a target gene (Green Fluorescent Protein) in the livers of transgenic animals for periods up to 3 weeks following a single, normal intravenous injection. In addition to the Company's work on systemic efficacy, Sirna has successfully demonstrated efficacy in three different animal models of ocular angiogenesis including choroidal neovascularization (CNV) using two different routes of local administration. Following a pre-IND meeting with the FDA in March of this year, the Company is on schedule to file its IND in the fourth quarter of this year for Sirna-027, a chemically modified siRNA targeting VEGF Receptor-1. The Company is completing toxicology and manufacturing of clinical trial material for Sirna-027, and is finalizing the Phase I clinical protocol in collaboration with three investigators. Sirna Therapeutics further announced that Howard Robin, Sirna's President and Chief Executive Officer, will present information on the Company's progress in a corporate presentation on Tuesday, June 8th at 10:45 AM Pacific Time during the BIO 2004 conference.<< snip Cheers, Tuck