AZ, Silence To Develop siRNA Drug Delivery System

AstraZeneca and Silence Therapeutics have entered into a collaboration focused on the development of new approaches for the delivery of siRNA molecules. Silence has expertise in the delivery of siRNA molecules, in particular with the functional systemic delivery of siRNA in vivo using its AtuPLEX technology. Under the terms of the agreement, the two companies will be allowed to commercialize delivery systems developed under the collaboration. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.
   
Silence will retain the right to sign further agreements regarding its current AtuPLEX delivery technology as well as any improvements that it generates either independently or as part of this collaboration. The two companies also have a three-year collaboration, signed in July 2007, to develop novel siRNA therapeutics against specific AZ targets.
   
Jeff Vick, chief executive officer of Silence Therapeutics, said, “We are delighted to enter this new collaboration with AstraZeneca for the development of novel approaches for the delivery of siRNA molecules. This agreement highlights the significant progress we have made with our AtuPLEX platform, following our early realization of the importance of delivery to the development of successful RNAi therapeutics. This deal also reflects the strong working relationship we have developed with AstraZeneca and the progress of our ongoing collaboration in the development of AtuRNAi molecules against a number of their targets.”
     
Claude Bertrand, global vice president, discovery respiratory and inflammation, at AstraZeneca said, “We are very happy with the working relationship we have developed with the team at Silence Therapeutics and the progress made over the last six months via our agreement to develop siRNA therapeutics against a number of our targets. This announcement is designed to generate the novel delivery approaches that are needed if this exciting class of novel drugs is to realize fully its potential.”