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news.Alnylam and Isis Pharmaceuticals have acquired intellectual property rights from Stanford University relating to a liver-specific microRNA that has potential to form the basis of new treatments for hepatitis C virus infection.
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The companies will now be able to use the research conducted at Stanford University to discover and develop new therapeutic products for the treatment of the disease.
According to data from a study conducted at Stanford University, the microRNA, known as miR-122, is required for hepatitis C replication in mammal cells. This study suggests that antagonism of miR-122 may comprise a new therapeutic strategy against the disease.
“The recent discoveries that over 250 human genes encode microRNAs and that these microRNAs may control gene expression for as much as one-third of the genome suggests that this part of the RNAi pathway plays a major role in human health and disease,” said Dr John Maraganore, president and CEO of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals. “As part of our March 2004 agreement with Isis, we are together actively engaged in consolidating intellectual property in the microRNA field, and researchers at both companies are working to identify novel therapeutic opportunities.”