Australian Researchers to Focus on ddRNAi

Following the settlement of a dispute, three Australian groups have announced a strategic agreement that will allow each group to pursue research in its field of interest with respect to new technology called DNA-directed (dd) RNA interference (RNAi).

The technology, developed by Australian researchers, offers an advanced way to induce RNAi, a natural cellular mechanism that silences or selectively negates the effect of targeted genes within any cell of any multicellular organism. Applications range from treatments for cancer, autoimmune disorders, and viral infections, as well as improvements in plants and animal healthcare.

Benitec Limited (Queensland) was the first company to recognize and demonstrate the effect of ddRNAi and has the world's only issued patents on it. The company offers customers licenses to use ddRNAi in the human field and is building a proprietary ddRNAi clinical development program initially targeting HIV and certain cancers. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO, Canberra), Australia's national science agency, has successfully demonstrated DNA delivered RNAi in plants and will continue to make significant investments in pioneering research in this field. The Queensland Department of Primary Industries (Queensland DPIau) will pursue improvements in agricultural production.

"This agreement gives Benitec the freedom to pursue its strategic focus on the clinical development and commercialization of human therapeutics while providing the opportunity to share in revenues CSIRO generates from other applications,” noted John McKinley, chairman and CEO of Benitec.




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