New Haven, Conn. — Yale researchers describe a breakthrough in safe and effective administration of potential antiviral drugs — small interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules that silence genes — the first step in development of a new kind of treatment for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The work was reported in an online publication of Nature Materials.
"RNA interference is a promising approach for prevention and treatment of human disease," said lead author Kim Woodrow, Yale postdoctoral fellow in Yale's School of Engineering & Applied Science. "We wanted to develop a new strategy of delivering siRNAs with a FDA-approved material."
Gene interference therapy is moving rapidly from basic research to application. The PLGA packaging these researchers chose is already approved as safe and non-toxic by the FDA, speeding the path to clinical trials for infectious agents such as HPV and HIV.
"Before human clinical testing can begin, our next step in research will be to test this approach directly in disease models – for example in the HIV model mice that have an immune system genetically identical to humans," said senior author W. Mark Saltzman, the Goizueta Foundation Professor of Biomedical Engineering & Chemical Engineering.
This approach holds promise for global health and the ability of people to self–apply antimicrobial treatments. Woodrow said, "It is safe and effective and much easier than getting an injection of vaccine." ###
Other authors from Yale are Yen Cu, Carmen J. Booth, Jennifer K. Saucier-Sawyer and Monica J.Wood. The research was funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health and fellowship support from the L'Oreal FWIS.
Citation: Nature Materials, advance online publication May 4, 2009.
- Kim Woodrow www.seas.yale.edu/staff-detail
- School of Engineering & Applied Science www.seas.yale.edu/home
- W. Mark Saltzman www.seas.yale.edu/faculty-detail
- Biomedical Engineering www.seas.yale.edu/departments-biomedical
- Chemical Engineering www.seas.yale.edu/departments-chemical
203-432-2157 Yale University
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