Bi-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) designed by Bioinformatics

siRNA refers to short double RNAs that mediate RNA interference, one of the mechanisms that regulate gene expression. Since only one strand of the two strands binds to mRNA and is used to suppress gene expression, one siRNA can silence only one gene expression, and the remaining strand, passenger RNA which can attack other unwanted mRNAs, causing side effects.

Curigin has established a proprietary technology called bi-specific siRNA, in which both strands of siRNA can specifically bind to different target mRNAs. Bi-specific siRNA consists of one short siRNA structure within 21mer but can simultaneously inhibit the expression of two different genes. In addition, since there is no passenger RNA, side effects and off-target effects due to non-specific binding does not appear.

Bi-specific siRNA candidates can be derived through the Bioinformatics system developed by Curigin. Using this system, bi-specific siRNAs can be designed for any combination of two genes. Once the two genes to be targeted are determined, this system can generate bi-specific siRNA candidates within a few days, dramatically shortening the development period.