Research conducted at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory has
suggested that microRNA (miRNA) - small nucleic acid sequences of
20-24 nucleotides that do not code for proteins - in fact play a
key role in gene expression.
CalbaTech has signed an agreement to acquire privately-held
Molecula Research Laboratories, a company developing gene silencing
technologies for gene and protein function studies.
Merck & Co has become the first drug major to make a
significant alliance in the field of RNA interference - one of the
hottest topics in drug discovery - via a deal with Alnylam
Pharmaceuticals.
US antisense specialist Genta has agreed to acquire Salus
Therapeutics, a specialist in small interfering RNA, for up to $30
million in cash and stock. The terms of the agreement call for
Genta to issue $13 million in stock at closing.
Qiagen has reported strong growth in sales and profits in the
second quarter as last year's acquisitions of GenoVision and
Xeragon start to exert their effects. The company has also signed
two new deals in the area of RNA interference.
The battle to amass intellectual property in the hot area of RNA
interference (RNAi) continues to gain pace, with one of the key
players in the category, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, licensing patents
from the UK's Cambridge Research...
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals of the USA has linked up with Germany's
Ribopharma to create what it claims is a world leading company in
the development of RNAi-based therapeutics. First drug may be in
trials this year.
Exiqon has signed up a new distribution partner, Link Technologies,
for its locked nucleic acid (LNA) phosphoramidate reagents, used in
genomics research.
In the second piece of news today on RNAi, Qiagen is to collaborate
with Intradigm on RNAi compounds for use as drug discovery tools
and potential therapeutics.
A collaboration between Cenix BioScience of Germany and the USA's
Ambion has been formed to co-develop and market the first
commercially-available, human genome-wide library of small
interfering RNA sequences. RNA interference...
Dharmacon, a US supplier of RNA and RNA-interference research
products, announced today it has launched Cell Cycle siARRAY, a
collection of ready-to-use siRNA duplexes designed to knock down
112 genes involved in cell cycle regulation.
