Pfizer gains worldwide license for ddRNAi

Pfizer has been awarded a non-exclusive license to use Sigma-Aldrich’s DNA-directed RNAi (ddRNAi) technology in its research programmes worldwide. Financial details of the license agreement have not been disclosed.

The exclusive license for research activities derived from applications of ddRNAi technology has been acquired from Australian firm Benitec to Sigma-Aldrich.

Sigma-Aldrich reports that ddRNAi has a number of advantages in the development of therapeutics when compared to other gene silencing technology, including alternative RNAi.

These benefits include the ability to disable multiple-genes and silence genes in whole organisms as well as the ability to manage the expression and timing of this gene silencing.

Shaf Yousaf, president of the Sigma-Aldrich research biotechnology business unit, said: “ddRNAi has important research applications and future potential for therapeutic development.”

He added that, following the company’s research activities with The RNAi Consortium, it had an important intellectual property RNAi portfolio that put the company in a good position for market leadership in research reagents and out-licensing.

In November 2006, Pfizer reported a research and development pipeline including 30 programmes spread over 11 therapeutic areas.

The company announced that it had invested heavily in its oncology portfolio and was using insights from molecular genetics to further its research into a wide variety of tumours.