atugen's blunt approach to RNAi

RNA-interference company atugen AG may have raised a bit less money than its main competitors in the U.S., but the company believes that its technology for making functionally stable molecules will give it a leg up. The company's approach to short interference RNA (siRNA) has been described for the first time in a European patent application disclosed today.

"With 18 to 19 nucleotides, our siRNAs are shorter than those of competitors," CEO Klaus Giese said. "And instead of sticky ends, we use so-called blunt ends, which don't have a nucleotide overhang at the end. Everyone used to believe that siRNA needs to have sticky ends for functionality, but we can prove that this is not necessary." siRNAs with blunt ends are better protected against enzymatic degradation...