Arrowhead chooses RNAi candidate for ccRCC

Arrowhead Research Corp. (NASDAQ:ARWR) gained $0.68 (12%) to $6.40 on Friday after it selected ARC-HIF2 as its first development candidate using the company's dynamic polyconjugate (DPC) platform for RNAi delivery to tissues outside the liver. ARC-HIF2 contains RNAi targeting the endothelial PAS domain protein 1 ( HIF2A; HIF-2alpha; EPAS1) gene and is in preclinical development to treat clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). The HIF2A transcription factor is upregulated in more than 90% of ccRCCs and promotes tumor growth.

Delivering RNAi-based therapeutics such as siRNA to tissues outside the liver is a challenge because most lipid-based vehicles commonly used for delivery naturally target and are cleared by hepatic tissue. Arrowhead's DPCs are non-lipid, small polymer-based nanoparticles that shield the RNAi cargo from recognition and destruction in systemic circulation and contain targeting molecules for specific binding and uptake at target tissues. ...