LNA-Based RNA Oligonucleotides Potently Inhibit Cancer MicroRNAs

Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Also Included In: Genetics;  Clinical Trials / Drug Trials;  Conferences
Article Date: 21 Apr 2009 - 3:00 PDT

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Santaris Pharma announced promising findings on the in vitro and in vivo activity of microRNA-targeted therapeutics against cancer developed on the basis of its proprietary Locked Nucleic Acid (LNA) Drug Platform. In both in vitro and in vivo models Santaris Pharma's cancer targeted LNA-antimiR(R)'s demonstrated outstanding recognition and inhibition of disease-associated microRNAs due to their high specificity and affinity. The findings were presented this week at the AACR Meeting in Colorado at a symposium on microRNAs and human cancer.

"Santaris Pharma has made significant progress in advancing a rich pipeline of clinical and preclinical drug candidates targeting disease related RNAs, including microRNAs," said Henrik 0rum, Santaris Pharma's Chief Scientific Officer. "These results are another demonstration of the fact that our small, single-stranded oligonucleotides have great potential in relation to the development of microRNA targeting therapeutics within a range of disease areas."

Santaris Pharma is a leader within microRNA research and is collaborating with scientists world-wide to exploit the advantages of the LNA chemistry to design and develop effective and safe antimiRs against a broad range of diseases, including cancer.

Santaris Pharma (founded in 2003) is a privately held clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing new classes of RNA medicines targeting disease-related mRNAs and miRNAs based on its proprietary LNA chemistry. The Company's own research and development activities focus on microRNAs, infectious diseases and metabolic disorders. Santaris Pharma is leveraging its highly effective and efficient Drug Discovery Engine to generate lead LNA drug candidates against a broad array of disease targets selected by strategic partners. The Company and its corporate partners currently have four compounds in clinical development and a full pipeline in late preclinical development. Santaris Pharma has since its inception raised nearly $100 million through private financing and up-front payments.

Source: Santaris Pharma A/S

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