CAMBRIDGE, Mass. & CARLSBAD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulus Therapeutics, a joint venture between Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALNY) and Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ISIS) formed to discover, develop, and commercialize microRNA therapeutics, announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently issued a “Notice of Allowance” for the “Sarnow” patent (U.S. patent application 11/122,328). The allowed claims cover methods for targeting a specific microRNA to inhibit Hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication. The Sarnow patent, a Stanford University patent to which Regulus has exclusive rights, relates to the discovery and development of therapeutic products for HCV infection by inhibiting a liver-specific microRNA known as miR-122. Regulus is developing a microRNA therapeutic targeting miR-122 for the treatment of HCV infection as its most advanced therapeutic program.
