Developing new SiRNA-based therapeutics - siRNA

Developing new SiRNA-based therapeutics
August 17, 2006
Laboratorytalk
Perbio Science reports that Abbott and Dharmacon has announced a collaboration to develop new therapeutic agents based on a gene silencing technology of RNA interference (RNAi)
The research could extend drug discovery efforts for the two companies into disease targets where traditional discovery technologies have not been successful. During the collaboration, Abbott and Dharmacon will work to identify therapeutic siRNAs for multiple therapeutic areas, initially focusing on oncology. Dharmacon's industry-leading proprietary siRNA chemistries, its innovative Smartselection and Smartpool technologies and its specificity enhancing design modifications will be used to optimise siRNAs for therapeutic use.
Abbott will manage the drug discovery and development process and will be responsible for commercialisation of products that result from the collaboration.
Financial terms are not being disclosed.
'Joining forces with RNAI pioneer Dharmacon to develop drug candidates that harness the clinical potential of this revolutionary technology is very exciting,' said Stephen Fesik, divisional vice president, cancer research, Abbott.
'The collaboration fits our strategy to extend Abbott's portfolio with novel therapies in areas of high unmet need.
'By combining our drug discovery and development expertise with Dharmacon' s continuing advances in understanding the fundamentals of siRNA-based gene silencing, we will be able to explore targets that everyone knows exist, but have not been able to successfully create drugs to address.
'The flexibility and selectivity of siRNA therapeutics should provide promising approaches that are not easily achievable with small molecules or antibodies'.
'We are very pleased to be working with a therapeutic development partner with the broad experience and proven track record of bringing innovative new drugs to market as we embark on an ambitious collaboration to develop novel drug therapies using RNAi,' said William Marshall, vice president of technology and business development for Fisher Biosciences.
'Dharmacon has long been committed to leadership in the RNAi field, and we believe that the major advances we have achieved in the past few years will be especially valuable in our drug development efforts with Abbott.'