Regulus, Alnylam, Isis Reports First microRNA Patent Grant In Japan

Regulus Therapeutics (Regulus), Alnylam and Isis Pharmaceuticals (Isis) have reported that the Japan Patent Office (JPO) has notified the Max Planck Society of its intent to grant a patent from the Tuschl III patent series (JP Application Number 2003-532675).

Reportedly, the patent series pertains to the discovery of over 120 novel mammalian microRNAs, including miR-122, which is a leading pre-clinical program at Regulus. The grant of Tuschl III patent in Japan extends the scope of this patent estate, which has already yielded patents in the US (US Patent No. 7232806) and in Australia (Australian Patent No. 2002 347 035).

The newly granted claims of the Tuschl III patent cover miR-122, a liver-specific microRNA that has subsequently been shown to facilitate replication of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Additionally, the claims cover single-stranded and double-stranded antisense compounds complementary to mir-122, as well as precursors and analogs of mir-122.

Regulus is advancing microRNA therapeutics targeting miR-122, among others. Pre-clinical studies suggest that miR-122 is essential for the replication of HCV (Jopling et al. (2005) Science 309, 1577-81) and that creating an inhibitor to miR-122 may define a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of HCV infection.

Kleanthis Xanthopoulos, president and CEO of Regulus, said: “Regulus is advancing a whole new frontier of pharmaceutical research through the discovery of microRNA therapeutics, which have the potential to affect broad disease pathways as opposed to single gene targets.

“Through our partnerships with Alnylam, Isis, and our relationships with academic institutions such as the Max Planck, we have built intellectual property estate for the development of microRNA therapeutics. This is first in the Tuschl III series to grant in Japan, and we expect more to come from this important and early patent series.”