siRNA goes skin deep

A University of California, Santa Barbara team has identified a peptide carrier that transports small interfering RNA across the skin of mice.¹ The researchers believe the peptide could be useful for topical delivery of siRNAs to treat a variety of skin diseases.

To date, siRNA delivery formulations primarily have involved packaging the molecules in soluble nanocarriers for systemic delivery to internal organs and tissues. Researchers have shied away from topical siRNA formulations because of the difficulty in transporting the molecules through the skin...