生物谷讯/ --加拿大的Tekmira公司最近公布了其最新的RNAi疗法动物实验研究数据。实验显示在动物体内，这种疗法可以有效延缓埃博拉病毒和马尔堡病毒的感染。这项研究是公司和美国国防部合作的一个项目，数据显示，在感染埃博拉病毒24小时或者48小时后，83%的灵长类动物接受治疗后存货，而当治疗时间推迟到72小时时，存活率也达到了67%，而对照组则全部死亡。在马尔堡病毒的研究中，存活率达到了100%。公司董事长兼CEO Dr. Mark Murray表示，下一步公司将把这种RNAi疗法提交FDA审核并着手开始临床一期研究的准备。

详细英文报道：

Canada's Tekmira Pharmaceuticals ($TKMR) has unveiled new data showing that its antiviral RNA interference therapeutics were effective at abolishing Ebola and Marburg viruses in preclinical studies when treatment was delayed.

In a study of the company's TKM-Ebola drug, which is being developed under a contract with the U.S. Department of Defense, 83% of nonhuman primates survived when treated 24 or 48 hours after being infected with a lethal dose of the Ebola virus. When treatment was delayed to 72 hours after infection, the drug showed a 67% survival rate. Meanwhile, no animals treated with a placebo survived.

In nonhuman primates infected with a lethal quantity of Marburg virus--which belongs to the same family of hemorrhagic fever viruses as Ebola--Tekmira's TKM-Marburg achieved 100% survival when the drug was administered 48 hours after infection.

"These recent studies with TKM-Ebola and TKM-Marburg demonstrate survival in nonhuman primates despite delayed treatment after infection with lethal doses of the Ebola and Marburg viruses," Tekmira President and CEO Dr. Mark Murray said in a statement.

RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics like Tekmira's work by "silencing" disease-causing genes. The use of RNAi therapeutics is currently limited because the newly introduced genetic material is difficult to deliver. Tekmira's lipid nanoparticle delivery technology platform is designed to capture and systemically deliver different nucleic acid molecules, such as small interfering RNA.

Tekmira says it expects to complete preclinical, chemistry, manufacturing and control studies as well as a submission to the FDA by the end of the year. The company hopes to launch a Phase I trial for TKM-Ebola in the first quarter of 2014.