Rxi, UMMS Receive Funding For Research Collaboration

The Angel Fund, The ALS Therapy Alliance and Project ALS have financed a new collaboration between ALS researchers of UMMS and RXi Pharmaceuticals (Rxi).

Reportedly, Robert Brown, chair of the department of neurology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester (UMMS), will study the use of RXi’s self-delivering rxRNA (sd-rxRNA) compounds as a treatment for ALS.

As part of the collaboration, RXi is expected to provide its RNAi technology and materials to Dr Brown and his team of researchers, and Brown’s laboratory will investigate the level of gene silencing and extended survival in a mouse model of familial ALS in which a human mutated version of the SOD1 gene is over-expressed.

Mr Brown, chair of the department of neurology at UMMS, said: “We have been searching for an RNAi treatment for ALS for many years and while this approach is very promising, the limiting factor critical to an effective therapeutic has been delivery. I am impressed with RXi’s RNAi platform and believe that RXi’s sd-rxRNAs are the unique solution that could be the key to treating neurological disorders such as ALS.”

Noah Beerman, president and CEO of RXi, said: “RXi is extremely excited about the collaboration with Dr Brown and his choice to use the company’s sd-rxRNAs to develop potential treatments for ALS. RXi has a long standing interest in ALS and we hope that this collaboration will enable the evaluation of the clinical potential of the sd-rxRNA technology platform for the treatment of ALS and other diseases of the central nervous system.”