Mar 17 2009
Intradigm Corporation, a leading developer of targeted, systemic RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics, has announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued the company a notice of allowance for a patent covering various aspects of a potent small interfering RNA (siRNA) sequence.
The allowed subject matter covers a specific double-stranded siRNA sequence that is directed against the angiogenic pathway and which possesses therapeutic potential in the treatment of cancer. This notice of allowance pertains to the first of a number of pending patent applications covering proprietary Intradigm siRNA sequences against more than 50 clinically relevant targets.
As the first sequence-specific patent for which Intradigm has received a notice of allowance, this development supplements the company's existing patents, giving Intradigm allowed intellectual property (IP) covering each of the three critical areas for RNAi therapeutic development: target sequences, delivery and structural features. This breadth of intellectual property places Intradigm in a uniquely strong position within the RNAi therapeutic industry, especially among other private companies in the space.
"The receipt of this notice of allowance provides us a great deal of confidence in our ability to successfully prosecute our large number of pending sequence patents and, in turn, build one of the industry's strongest siRNA sequence patent positions," said Philip Haworth, chief executive officer of Intradigm. "Additionally, once this patent issues, Intradigm will possess issued patents related to siRNA sequences, siRNA delivery technology and siRNA structural motifs. We believe this breadth of coverage provides the company with a key competitive advantage in the RNAi therapeutics space."
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