InteRNA Technologies BV and Cenix BioScience GmbH has signed a research agreement comprising functional screens in human cell lines using InteRNA's proprietary library of miRNAs. Cenix will apply InteRNA's unique lentiviral-based miRNA over expression library in high throughput screening assays in combination with high content, multi-parametric phenotypic analyses to identify the biological role of individual miRNAs and novel therapeutic targets in the area of cancer.

"We are very much pleased to work in collaboration with Cenix to further advance our drug discovery efforts to identify miRNA regulated targets for cancer therapy. Cenix' unique expertise on small RNA-based high-through put screening and phenotypic analyses will be instrumental in our discovery programs," said Roel Schaapveld, chief operating officer of InteRNA Technologies.

"We very much appreciate the confidence that our colleagues at InteRNA are showing by commissioning Cenix to contribute in such a substantial manner to their discovery programmes" said Dr Christophe Echeverri, CEO/CSO of Cenix. "The planned work promises very exciting scientific and technological challenges that are clearly in line with the recent diversification of Cenix activities into the miRNA space, and which we look forward to tackling together."

InteRNA Technologies actively explores and exploits opportunities to translate its unique collection of miRNAs and miRNA discovery and validation technologies into successful diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic applications.

Founded in 1999, Cenix BioScience is the first contract research organization specialized in combining advanced applications of RNA interference (RNAi) gene silencing with high content phenotypic analyses to enhance and accelerate the discovery and pre-clinical development of novel therapeutics.