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news.Pfizer and Quark Biotech have entered into an agreement under which the leading pharmaceuticals group will acquire an exclusive worldwide license to Quark's novel human gene RTP-801.
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RTP-801 is involved in the development of blood vessels which accelerate the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Financial terms of the agreement were not announced and the agreement is subject to clearance by the US Federal Trade Commission.
The target for RTP-801 wet AMD. Wet AMD is the most devastating form of the disease and occurs due to the formation of an abnormal vascular network beneath the retina of the eye.
“Despite advances in research and the availability of new treatment options, there remains a need for new approaches to improve the lives of patients with AMD,” said Martin Mackay, Pfizer senior vice president Worldwide Research and Technology. “We are excited about the potential of RTP-801 to preserve vision in patients with wet AMD who have an increased risk of progressive eye damage and vision loss.”
It is believed that AMD can be treated by blocking the expression of the RTP-801 gene through RNA interference or RNAi. RNAi is a naturally occurring mechanism within cells for selectively silencing and regulating specific genes. The ability to silence genes through RNAi could provide a new way to treat a wide range of human diseases.