Intradigm and Sequitur Inc collaborate on the application of RNAi in animal models of disease and development of RNAi therapeutics. RNAi is a form of double-stranded RNA that can be employed to specifically inhibit the expression of disease causing genes. Sequitur will provide and license its Stealth RNAi technology to Intradigm for a number of therapeutic targets, and Intradigm will provide and license its TSGV in vivo nucleic acid delivery technology to Sequitur for a number of therapeutic targets.
Sequitur's Stealth RNAi technology is a modified form of RNAi that is distinct from siRNA and has the following properties:
-- Enhanced stability against blood enzymes that would ordinarily degrade RNAi
-- Reduced adverse cellular responses compared to unmodified compounds Enhanced activity compared to standard siRNA
Intradigm's Targeted Synthetic Gene Vector technology is an in vivo nucleic acid delivery formulation for parenteral administration that provides targeted delivery to tumors and other disease tissues.
Tod Woolf, Sequitur's CEO, noted, "We are enthusiastic about our collaboration with Intradigm. We believe that the combination of our proprietary Stealth RNAi compounds and Intradigm's proven TSGV nucleic acid delivery system constitutes one of the most advanced therapeutic RNAi development programs." John Spears, CEO of Intradigm, stated, "We are very pleased to be working with Sequitur to combine their Stealth RNAi technology with our delivery technology with the goal to develop this exciting new class of potential therapeutics."