Silence Therapeutics and Dainippon Sumitomo expand siRNA collaboration
Companies to examine delivery of RNAi therapeutics to additional disease targets
Silence Therapeutics and Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Co of Japan have agreed to extend their ongoing small interfering RNA (siRNA) delivery collaboration. Under this collaboration, originally entered into in August 2009, the companies are using Silence's proprietary siRNA molecules and multiple lipid delivery and targeting technologies to demonstrate functional delivery of RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics to specific disease targets in the body.
The companies will examine delivery to additional disease targets selected by Dainippon Sumitomo. The financial details of the original collaboration and this extension have not been disclosed.
‘We believe that the decision to expand this collaboration less than eight months after its initiation and within three months of the merger between Silence and Intradigm provides clear evidence that both Silence and Dainippon Sumitomo are not only pleased with the progress already achieved through this partnership but also with its future potential,’ said Philip Haworth, chief executive of London-based Silence Therapeutics.