NATURE MEDICINE - Press Release for papers that will be published online on 21 August 2005
* New treatment against SARS effective in monkeys - Nature Medicine
*********************NATURE MEDICINE*************************
(<http://www.nature.com/naturemedicine>)
[1] New treatment against SARS effective in monkeys
DOI: 10.1038/nm1280
A paper in the September issue of Nature Medicine reports that small
interfering RNAs, short RNA sequences that can inhibit gene expression, are
effective against infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome
(SARS) virus in monkeys.
In 2003, the SARS virus spread through the world, causing lethal pneumonia
and lung failure. Since then, the search for therapies against this pathogen
has been a very active research field. Now, Patrick Lu and his colleagues
show that siRNA can both prevent the onset of SARS and cure an existing
infection in macaques.
The authors delivered the siRNA intranasally to groups of macaques before or
after infection with the SARS virus. They found that the siRNA provided
relief from the symptoms of SARS infection and reduced the virus-induced
lung damage with no apparent side effects.
These results constitute the first successful therapeutic use of siRNA in
primates, and significantly boost up the potential of this tool to prevent
and treat SARS in people.
Author contact:
Patrick Lu (Intradigm Corporation, Rockville, MD, USA)
Tel: +1 301 984 0185, E-mail: [email protected]
Other papers from Nature Medicine to be published online at the same time
and with the same embargo:
[2] Vaccine induced tumor-specific immunity despite severe B-cell depletion
in mantle cell lymphoma
DOI: 10.1038/nm1290
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