Alnylam, Silence Therapeutics, BASF, Sanofi, Max Planck Society, MIT, University of Massachusetts, Whitehead Institute chemistry news
Alnylam said the Opposition Division of the European Patent Office (EPO) upheld the company's Tuschl I patent, European Patent No. 1309726. The patent includes 14 claims broadly covering the use of double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) for RNAi, including methods of reducing gene expression with dsRNAs of 21-23 nucleotides in length of mammalian or viral origin. The patent also includes claims covering methods of examining the function of a gene using dsRNAs. Opposition to the patent was brought by Silence, BASF and Sanofi. In a statement, Silence said the Opposition Division specifically clarified that the patent does not include claims for dsRNAs shorter than 21 nucleotides or longer than 23 nucleotides. Silence said it had been concerned prior to the ruling that the patent could be used protect dsRNAs that were just outside the scope of the patent. Silence said the patent does not impact its freedom to operate or negatively affect its Atu027, a liposomal small interfering RNA (siRNA) formulation targeting protein kinase N3 (PKN3) in Phase I testing to treat advanced solid tumors. ...