Exicure, Inc. — Department of Health and Human Services SBIR Phase I: DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): AuraSense Therapeutics (AST), along with Northwestern
Exicure, Inc. — SBIR Phase I award from Department of Health and Human Services.
- Amount
- $224,935
- Agency
- Department of Health and Human Services · National Institutes of Health
- Program / Phase
- SBIR · Phase I
- Solicitation
- AR14-005
- NAICS
- —
- Place of performance
- IL
- Period
- —
Description
DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): AuraSense Therapeutics (AST), along with Northwestern University, is applying a recently developed technology using oligonucleotide-functionalized nanoparticles (called spherical nucleic acids or SNAs) to control protein expression. These easily synthesized nanoparticles can have either DNA or RNA shells, and are less than 50 nm in hydrodynamic diameter. SNA constructs are a powerful new way of regulating gene expression. These constructs consist of a dense spherical array of highly oriented oligonucleotides, templated on a nanoparticle, and are remarkable in their ability to readily enter cells, resistance to nuclease degradation, low toxicity and minimal immunostimulation. Critically, SNAs are also capable of penetrating biological barriers such as the stratum corneum and blood brain barrier, increasing the number of organs that can be treated using gene regulation. AST and Northwestern will design SNAs against the KRT10 R156H (hotspot) mutation for the treatment of