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GSK and Sirna Initiate Preclinical Programs in Respiratory Diseases

Posted on: Friday, 5 May 2006, 21:04 CDT

As part of their multi-year collaboration studying the use of RNA therepeutics in respiratory diseases, GlaxoSmithKline and Sirna Therapeutics have initiated programs in asthma and respiratory syncytial virus.

The companies also plan to pursue RNAi-based therapeutics against chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and allergic rhinitis.

Sirna will provide GSK with optimized and formulated siRNAs against targets for these diseases and GSK will assume all responsibility for the further preclinical and clinical development of compounds that emerge from these programs.

RNA interference (RNAi) is a natural, selective process for turning off genes. Sirna designs and develops short interfering RNA (siRNA) compounds which down regulate the expression of critical proteins responsible for viral replication and pathogenesis.

In a statement released by the company, Sirna suggests that local delivery of siRNA to the respiratory tract will substantially enhance the feasibility of developing successful RNA treatments.

"With these encouraging results and together with the combined efforts of Sirna and GSK scientific teams, we expect to expedite the development of novel RNAi-based therapies - those efforts initially focused on asthma and RSV," said Dr Barry Polisky, CSO at Sirna.

Source: Datamonitor

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