Quark Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Quark Biotech, Inc.

Silence Therapeutics Ag

Rami Skaliter

Paz Einat

Elena Feinstein

Aviv Regev

Hagar Kalinski

Leonid Beigelman

James A McSwiggen

Igor Mett

Orna Mor

Orit Segev

Alexander Faerman

Huseyin Aygun

Sylvie Luria

Aviva Samach

Lion Novak

The present invention provides novel molecules, compositions, methods and uses for treating microvascular disorders, eye diseases respiratory conditions and hearing disorders based upon inhibition of the RTP801 gene and/or protein.

Therapeutic uses of inhibitors of RTP801

The invention relates to siRNA compounds possessing novel sequences and structural motifs which down-regulate the expression of specific human genes. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The present invention also provides a method of treating and/or preventing the incidence or severity of various diseases or conditions associated with the genes and/or symptoms associated with such diseases or conditions comprising administering to a subject in need of treatment for such disease or condition and/or symptom the compound or the pharmaceutical composition in a therapeutically effective dose so as to thereby treat the subject.

Double-stranded RNA directed to CASP2 and methods of use thereof

According to the present invention, purified, isolated and cloned nucleic acid polynucleotide encoding hypoxia-regulating genes and the proteins thereof and antibodies directed against the proteins which have sequences as set forth in SEQ ID No:1, SEQ ID No:2, SEQ ID No:3, SEQ ID No:4, SEQ ID No:5 and SEQ ID No:6 are provided. The present invention further provides transgenic animals and cell lines as well as knock-out organisms of these sequences. The present invention further provides methods of regulating angiogenesis or apoptosis or regulating response to hypoxic conditions in a patient in need of such treatment. The present invention also provides a method of diagnosing the presence of ischemia in a patient including the steps of analyzing a bodily fluid or tissue sample from the patient for the presence or gene product of at least one expressed gene (up-regulated) as set forth in the group comprising SEQ ID No:2; SEQ ID No:3; SEQ ID No:4; SEQ ID No:5; and SEQ ID No:6 and where ischemia is determined if the up-regulated gene or gene product is ascertained.

Hypoxia-regulated genes

Inhibitors of RTP801 and their use in disease treatment

There are provided polynucleotides that are modulated by hypoxic conditions. The disclosure includes such genes and proteins as well as analogs, salts and functional derivatives of such proteins, and DNA encoding such analogs, and methods of use. Methods for treating the effects of stroke, hypoxia and/or ischemia by regulating such genes or proteins are also disclosed. The presence of hypoxia or a hypoxia-associated pathology may be diagnosed by screening for the presence of at least one polynucleotide having the nucleic acid sequence according to the present invention. Methods of regulating hypoxia associated pathologies are also provided.

Sequences characteristic of hypoxia-regulated gene transcription

The disclosure relates to human and mechanical stress induced genes, in particular gene 608, and functional equivalents, probes therefor, tests to identify such genes, polypeptide expression products of such genes, antibodies to the polypeptides, uses for such genes, expression products and antibodies, e.g., in diagnosis (for instance risk determination), treatment, prevention, or control, of osteoporosis or fractures; and to diagnostic, treatment, prevention, or control methods or processes, as well as compositions therefor and methods or processes for making and using such compositions, and receptors therefor and methods or processes for obtaining and using such receptors.

Genes associated with mechanical stress, expression products therefrom, and uses thereof

There are provided polynucleotides which are modulated by hypoxic conditions. The disclosure includes such genes and proteins as well as analogs, salts and functional derivatives of such proteins, and DNA encoding such analogs, and methods of use. Methods for treating the effects of stroke, hypoxia and/or ischemia by regulating such genes or proteins are also disclosed. The presence of hypoxia or a hypoxia-associated pathology may be diagnosed by screening for the presence of at least one polynucleotide having the nucleic acid sequence according to the present invention. Methods of regulating hypoxia associated pathologies are also provided.

According to the present invention, purified, isolated and cloned nucleic acid polynucleotide encoding hypoxia-regulating genes and the proteins thereof and antibodies directed against the proteins which have sequences as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5 and SEQ ID NO:6 are provided. The present invention further provides transgenic animals and cell lines as well as knock-out organisms of these sequences. The present invention further provides methods of regulating angiogenesis or apoptosis or regulating response to hypoxic conditions in a patient in need of such treatment. The present invention also provides a method of diagnosing the presence of ischemia in a patient including the steps of analyzing a bodily fluid or tissue sample from the patient for the presence or gene product of at least one expressed gene (up-regulated) as set forth in the group comprising SEQ ID NO:2; SEQ ID NO:3; SEQ ID NO:4; SEQ ID NO:5; and SEQ ID NO:6 and where ischemia is determined if the up-regulated gene or gene product is ascertained.

Antibody against hypoxia proteins

Neuroleukin (SEQ ID NO:8) has been discovered to be hypoxia regulated. Furthermore, it serves as an astrocyte motility factor. Astrocyte motility can be inhibited by a neuroleukin inhibitor.

Isolated hypoxia-regulated polypeptides have sequences as set forth in SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:7 and SEQ ID NO:11. Antibodies directed against such polypeptides may be prepared.

The present invention provides a method of identifying clones encoding for membranal and secreted proteins by deriving probes from membrane-bound polysomes and free-polysomes, and performing a microarray-based comparison of the relative abundance of the different RNA species. Analysis of the results of such comparison and resultant identification of clones encoding for membranal or secreted proteins, provides an efficient tool for identifying targets of drug development. The present invention further provides a method of augmenting a microarray analysis by utilizing RNA extracted from specific subcellular compartments as templates for DNA probes. The method may be used together with conventional differential analysis techniques for improvement of their analysis and gene identification functions.

Growing community of inventors

Nes Ziona, Israel

Rami Skaliter