Thermo Fisher Scientific Introduces Breakthrough in RNA-Interference ...( Accell siRNA Simplifies Delivery ...),Health

Accell siRNA Simplifies Delivery to Cells and Significantly Improves

Effectiveness of RNAi in Key Life Sciences Applications

WALTHAM, Mass., March 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO), the world leader in serving science, has developed a breakthrough gene-silencing tool that greatly simplifies RNA- interference (RNAi) technology and eliminates barriers associated with previous cellular delivery methods. The advance is expected to accelerate research and drug discovery in many important life sciences fields, including neuroscience, immunology, stem-cell science and oncology.

Thermo Scientific Dharmacon Accell(TM) siRNA is a novel form of short- interfering RNA (siRNA) that is absorbed directly by cells without the use of conventional delivery methods such as transfection reagents, viruses or electroporation. Dharmacon Accell siRNA effectively silences genes in all cell types tested to date.

RNAi is a powerful technology used to silence, or knock down, target genes and the proteins they produce, revealing their role in biological pathways and disease processes. Understanding gene function is critical for the development of drugs targeting those genes.

"Previous technologies for delivering siRNA into difficult cell types, such as primary cells, suspension cells, stem cells and neurons, were often ineffective and resulted in high levels of cell death," said Dr. Ian Jardine, vice president of global research and development for Thermo Fisher Scientific. "Dharmacon Accell is the only siRNA molecule that has been able to penetrate every cell type we have tested -- without the need for delivery reagents that can skew experimental results. With Dharmacon Accell siRNA and our
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