miRagen Receives Notice of Allowance for Intellectual Property for MicroRNAs that Modulate Smooth Muscle Proliferation and Differentiation

Long-term partnership between miRagen and UT Southwestern Medical Center yields its first broad microRNA patent 

BOULDER, CO, June 21, 2011 – miRagen Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on improving patients’ lives by developing innovative microRNA (miRNA)-based therapeutics for cardiovascular and muscle disease, announced today that it has been issued a notice of allowance by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a patent titled “Micro-RNAs that Modulate Smooth Muscle Proliferation and Differentiation and Uses Thereof.”  The patent covers methods of use in modulating miR-143, a microRNA demonstrated by scientists at miRagen and University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical Center to play a critical role in controlling smooth muscle cells at the site of vascular injury, which occurs in a variety of vascular disease states. 

miRagen’s research demonstrates that miR-143 controls the switch between contractility and proliferation of smooth muscle cells, which reside within blood vessel walls in the network of arteries and veins that comprise the circulatory system.  Restenosis, which is the formation of new blockages in an artery after it has been treated with angioplasty or stenting, often occurs when a vessel wall is damaged by intervention.  This damage in turn causes smooth muscle cells in the vessel wall to switch from a contractile to a proliferative state, resulting in their growth and ultimately contributing to neointima formation and blockage at the site of injury.

Studies conducted by UT Southwestern and miRagen Therapeutics in a carotid artery ligation model demonstrated that the injection of synthetic mimics of miR-143 stopped blood vessel blockage by inhibiting stenosis at the site of vessel injury.

“Our data demonstrate that miR-143 can inhibit neointima formation at sites of vessel injury, and we are pleased that the USPTO recognizes that these data are valuable, teachable, and most importantly, may ultimately result in the development of enhanced therapeutic options for patients in need,” said William S. Marshall, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of miRagen Therapeutics, Inc.  “This allowance confirms that it is possible to obtain broad method of use claims in the microRNA space with an appropriate demonstration of utility, and we anticipate that this is the first of many broad patents to be granted to miRagen based on our significant work and expertise in both the microRNA and cardiovascular fields.”

miRagen and UT Southwestern Medical Center signed a broad-based licensing and sponsored research agreement in April 2008 and together control nearly 100 patent applications.  This is the first Notice of Allowance received for their collaborative efforts.

About microRNAs:  MicroRNAs have emerged as an important class of small RNAs encoded in the genome.  They act to control the expression of sets of genes and entire pathways and are thus thought of as master regulators of gene expression.  Recent studies have demonstrated that microRNAs are associated with many disease processes.  Because they are single molecular entities that dictate the expression of fundamental regulatory pathways, microRNAs represent potential drug targets for controlling many biologic and disease processes.

About miRagen Therapeutics:  miRagen Therapeutics, Inc., was founded in 2007 to develop innovative microRNA-based therapeutics for cardiovascular and muscle disease.  Only recently discovered, microRNAs are short, single-stranded RNA molecules encoded in the genome that regulate gene expression and play a vital role in influencing cardiovascular and muscle disease.  Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death globally and represents an enormous burden on global healthcare systems.  Principally funded through venture capital investments, miRagen combines world recognized leadership in cardiovascular medicine with unprecedented in-house expertise in microRNA biology and chemistry.  For more information, please visit www.miragentherapeutics.com.