Andes
Biotechnologies Inc. has discovered a new family of molecules,
non-coding mitochondrial RNA, which are differentially expressed in cancer
cells and appear to be involved in the apoptotic pathway. The company hopes
that knocking down expression of the new targets using antisense
oligonucleotides will reinstate the apoptotic process in tumor cells while
leaving healthy cells unharmed.
According to CEO Cristian
Hernandez-Cuevas, Andes has discovered two families of non-coding mitochondrial
RNA (ncmtRNA) present in human cells: sense ncmtRNA (SncmtRNA) and antisense
ncmtRNA (ASncmtRNA). Hernandez-Cuevas said these RNAs are synthesized in
mitochondria and migrate to the nucleus, where they have a direct effect on
cell proliferation.