ROCKVILLE, Md., March 12 /PRNewswire/ -- General Research Laboratory, Inc. (GRL) and Sirnaomics, Inc. announced today that the companies are advancing their partnership initiated in July 2007 for development of two RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutic products, following the successful identification of siRNA inhibitors for multi-targeted siRNA cocktail approaches, through a series of in silico and in vitro studies, using Sirnaomics’ Tri-Blocker(TM) technology.
Under the terms of the agreement, Sirnaomics and GRL will jointly focus on developing two multi-targeted RNAi therapeutic products to improve scarless skin wound healing and to treat prostate cancer. The first product is expected to consist of three siRNA duplexes targeting three genes involved in scar formation during the skin wound healing process. The further in vivo study will demonstrate that the siRNA/polymeric nanoparticle formulation with topical cream application is able to enhance the wound healing process with minimum scar formation. The second product is defined as an siRNA cocktail targeting three tumor causing genes delivered with Epoxy Encapsulated Magnetic Nanoparticles (EEMNP) system. Using this local and in vivo administration approach will greatly enhance the therapeutic benefit for treatment of prostate carcinoma.
Under the terms of the agreement, GRL will provide Sirnaomics with research funding and access to lab and office space. Sirnaomics will receive milestone payments at key points in the development process and product royalty payments when these products reach the market. “We are very pleased to have this partnership with GRL which not only provides us with financial resources but also validates our product development strategy,” said Dr. Patrick Lu, Founder, President and CEO of Sirnaomics, Inc. “We will continue seeking additional partnerships for our multi-targeted siRNA therapeutic approach, either from large pharmaceutical and major biotech companies, or from companies like GRL with interests in specialized therapeutic areas.”
“Sirnaomics’ RNAi therapeutic programs represent a novel approach to treat many critical human diseases. Some of those programs are uniquely valuable to our business and technology focus -- developing therapeutic products to serve military personnel wounded on the battlefield,” said Mr. Mike Ghias, President and CEO of GRL. “We are very happy to have this partnership with Sirnaomics and are looking forward to expanding such collaborations in developing therapeutic approaches for bio-defense related applications.”
About RNAi Therapeutics
RNAi has emerged as a fundamentally important biological phenomenon and as a versatile, powerful tool for biomedical research. RNAi plays a multifaceted role in molecular biology by silencing genes through chromatin remodeling, interfering with protein synthesis, and in its best-studied mode of action quashing gene expression by cleaving messenger RNA. Experimental applications of RNAi have spurred the exploration of gene functions in basic research, drug discovery and clinical settings. The value of RNAi as a therapeutic technology has been validated by award of the 2006 Nobel Prize for medicine and physiology as well as a number of corporate acquisitions and investments injecting billions of dollars into this area of research and development. Currently, there are several advanced RNAi therapeutics trials in clinic including one reached the Phase III human clinical study.
About GRL
General Research Laboratory, Inc. (GRL) was established in 2005 as a biopharmaceutical company in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The company is focusing on developing innovative technologies to serve the pharmaceutical industry and the discovery of novel therapeutics to treat diseases and conditions related to battlefield medicine and military personnel. GRL currently holds proprietary technologies on the use of an Epoxy Encapsulated Magnetic Nanoparticle (EEMNP) system for drug delivery in oncology. The company also has active programs in Whole-Genome siRNA Library (WGSL)-based high throughput screening for identification of novel drug targets and for re-invigoration of failed drugs in late stages of clinical testing, and has used this platform in the identification of RNAi therapeutic candidates for treatment of prostate cancer and improvement of wound healing. In addition, the company is actively engaged in the identification of optimal combination therapeutic regimens, including use of botanical drug candidates. GRL has strong scientific and clinical advisory boards and an experienced management team.
About Sirnaomics, Inc.
Sirnaomics, Inc. is a privately held Delaware corporation headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA. Established by a group of leading scientists in the field of RNAi technology, the company has the mission of advancing RNAi technology for novel drug discovery and targeted therapeutics development. Members of the senior management team provide over 50 years of combined experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, finance and business management. This expertise will ensure the healthy growth of Sirnaomics as an international biopharmaceutical enterprise. The company is specialized in the development of nanoparticle-mediated nucleic acid delivery of multi-targeted siRNA therapeutics. In addition to the programs partnered with GRL, Sirnaomics is also developing siRNA cocktails against indications in ocular disease, influenza infection and additional indications in oncology. The name of the company Sirnaomics (/ser-'now-miks/) is derived from the tech word “siRNA” with the suffix "-omics” to signify the study of the structure and function of small interfering RNA including their silencing properties and complex interplay with the targeted sequences inside cells.
CONTACT: Patrick Y. Lu, Ph.D., Sirnaomics, Inc., +1-240-606-5039, or fax,
+1-301-869-2633, info-office@sirnaomics.com; Asgher Ghias, Ph.D., Executive
Vice President, GRL, Inc., +1-202-438-6954, or +1-301-740-1731,
aghias@grl-inc.com
Web site: Http://www.sirnaomic.com/
