Recent Patents Relating to siRNAs and Therapeutic Strategies for Genetic Diseases

RNA interference has been implicated in diverse biological process. It is a powerful method for specific gene silencing which may also lead to promising novel therapeutic strategies. The success of early studies of therapeutic RNAi in rodent models has generated considerable interest on the development of RNAi as a potential therapy. A number of recent patents have been published that deal with the use of siRNA as therapeutic tools for human diseases. In this review, I will comment on some of the patents issued on siRNA-based strategies for cancer, ocular diseases, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, bone healing, and monogenic diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Marfan syndrome or Huntingon's disease. Progress in developing RNAi-based drugs and potential obstacles will also be discussed.