Thermo Fisher Scientific’s technology unveils potential targets for HIV drugs

Thermo Fisher Scientific’s RNA-interference technology has enabled a "groundbreaking" study which identified human proteins required for growth of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

The Harvard Medical School research led to potential new treatment targets for HIV.

Researchers utilised Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Dharmacon siGENOME siRNA Library to "silence" more than 21,000 human genes, blocking the proteins they produce.

Researchers in Harvard’s ICCB-Longwood High Throughput Screening Facility identified 273 proteins required for HIV reproduction- previously only 36 were known to be significant.

Ian Jardine, vice president of global research and development for Thermo Fisher Scientific, said: "This study clearly demonstrates the power of genome-wide RNAi screening in identifying novel drug targets.

"The Harvard Medical School findings dramatically expand the number of potential targets for fighting HIV. It is an exciting discovery that holds promise for new treatments, and we are thrilled that our genome-wide siRNA library enabled this work."

Thermo Fisher Scientific is a world-leading serving science company, working with over 350,000 customers across the globe.

Its siGENOME siRNA Library is a collection of more than 21,000 siRNAs targeting every gene in the human genome.