SuperArray Bioscience Corporation Licenses RNA Interference Patent from the Carnegie Institution
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SuperArray Bioscience Corporation has announced that it has entered into a RNA Interference (RNAi) license agreement with The Carnegie Institution.
Under the agreement, SuperArray Bioscience Corporation will develop, manufacture and distribute worldwide RNA interference based gene function and mechanism of action research tools.
The agreement enables SuperArray to offer RNAi-based gene silencing products for gene function studies including gene-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) and DNA-based RNA interference expressing short hairpin RNA (shRNA). The agreement also allows SuperArray to pass on rights to end-user customers in the research field for the performance of DNA-based RNA Interference.
RNA Interference is a key technology in life science research, particularly in gene function studies and in drug target identification. A small piece of RNA with complete sequence identity to a target gene of interest is introduced or "transfected" into an in vitro mammalian cell culture system.
A normal cellular process uses the small RNA to identify and degrade the messenger RNA responsible for the expression of the same targeted gene. Suppressing the expression of the gene removes the activity of its protein product. The researcher then performs other biological experiments with the cells to determine the missing or changed activity and to attribute that activity to the gene of interest.
"We are very excited to offer RNA Interference-based gene function research tools using the technologies from The Carnegie Institution," said Dr. Paul Nisson, Senior Director of Technology Development at SuperArray Bioscience Inc.
"Our combination of a multi-purpose plasmid backbone and a rigorously experimentally verified design algorithm to produce gene-specific RNA Interference for every gene in human, rat and mouse genome will help biomedical researchers identify the function of novel genes or further explore the role of important genes. We also plan to use SuperArray's unique capability to examine pathways in an integrated approach to greatly expand the application of RNA Interference in drug discovery and biomedical research."
The patent has been licensed to SuperArray Bioscience Corporation on a non-exclusive basis.
