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

To: nigel bates who wrote (437)	2/7/2006 8:31:48 AM
From: Thomas	Respond to of 671

Tuck, Nigel et al., Here is a followup press release about Calando's delivery technology for RNAi therapeutics. There is no timeline for a Phase I study for neuroblastoma, but they mention a three year window for preclinical studies in collaboration with NCI. Here is a link to the tech section of their website calandopharma.com . The company is a majority owned subsidiary of Arrowhead Research (ARWR), so there is a public entity to invest in. Tuck's concerns about off-target effects (message 421 on this thread) are yet to be addressed, as far as I can tell from their announcement and website. Does anyone have a take on the science as presented? Thanks in advance. Cheers, Thomas pharmaceutical-business-review.com Calando to collaborate with US Cancer Institute 6th February 2006 By Staff Writer Calando Pharmaceuticals and the pediatric oncology branch of the US National Cancer Institute are to collaborate on the development of RNAi therapeutics for the treatment of neuroblastoma. AdvertisementNeuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor in children younger than five years of age. Despite advances in modern therapy, metastatic neuroblastoma remains incurable. One barrier to a cure is finding an effective way to deliver RNAi therapeutics, particularly to metastatic cancer, which could be located anywhere in the body. A collaborative study by Caltech and Children's Hospital Los Angeles recently demonstrated that Calando's proprietary delivery technology can deliver short interfering RNA (siRNA) to targeted cancer cells and inhibit tumor growth in mice by silencing the target gene. The research program between the organizations is anticipated to last at least three years, and involve preclinical research and its translation into human clinical trials. Responsibilities for development of the various therapeutics will be shared between Calando and the NCI. "We are very excited to be able to collaborate with such a diverse and talented group of physicians and scientists at the NCI," said John Petrovich, Calando's CEO. "Through this collaboration, Calando and the NCI hope to develop therapeutics to treat more effectively one of the deadliest cancers."