Oslo: siRNAsense to use Polyplus-transfection’s drug delivery system

Licensing agreement

siRNAsense, a spin-out from the University of Oslo and a member of the Oslo Cancer Cluster, is use in vivo-jetPEI technology from Polyplus-transfection, a French company with exclusive licences from CNRS, to deliver their anti-melanoma metastasis drug candidate called siRNA targeting Tissue Factor.

Previous funding from the Research Council of Norway and the Norwegian Cancer Society has allowed siRNAsense to develop its proprietary siRNA targeting Tissue Factor, a synthetic siRNA that reduces metastasis by preventing cancer cells from binding to other cells. The transfection technology offered by Polyplus-transfection will be used to deliver the candidate drug to the cancer cells. siRNA, or small interfering RNA strands, are key to the process of RNA interference, also known as RNAi.

Hanne Mette Kristensen, CEO of siRNAsense, said: “We have chosen the Polyplus delivery system because we found it to be well suited for systemic delivery of our drug candidate against melanoma metastasis. This is a very important step for siRNAsense. Following encouraging efficacy data in a mouse model of metastasis, we are now proceeding with preclinical studies in mice and primates to further develop our drug candidate using Polyplus’ delivery system.”

Joëlle Bloch, CEO of Polyplus-transfection, said: “We are delighted that siRNAsense has chosen our delivery system. We look forward to future collaboration with siRNAsense. It is an advantage for our in vivo-jetPEI to be used as a delivery reagent for a new therapeutic target: the treatment of melanoma metastasis.”