Are RNAi and miRNA therapeutics truly dead?

João Conde; Natalie Artzi

doi:10.1016/j.tibtech.2014.12.005

Are RNAi and miRNA therapeutics truly dead?

Trends Biotechnol. 2015 Mar;33(3):141-4. doi: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2014.12.005. Epub 2015 Jan 13.

Authors

João Conde¹, Natalie Artzi²

Affiliations

¹ Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Harvard-MIT Division for Health Sciences and Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK. Electronic address: jdconde@mit.edu.
² Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Harvard-MIT Division for Health Sciences and Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: nartzi@mit.edu.

PMID: 25595555
DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2014.12.005

Abstract

Only a few years ago pharmaceutical companies were excited about the potential of RNA interference (RNAi). Now, financial volatility and subsequent dissolutions of in-house facilities by pharmaceutical companies have had media channels pronouncing that RNAi therapeutics are dead. However, advances in nanomedicine may now help the vast potential of RNAi therapeutics to be fulfilled.

Keywords: RNAi; biomaterials; delivery vehicle; nanotechnology; pharmaceutical companies.

MeSH terms

Gene Silencing*
Genetic Therapy / methods*
Genetic Therapy / trends
Humans
MicroRNAs / therapeutic use*
Nanomedicine / methods
Nanomedicine / trends

Substances

MicroRNAs