RNA Encapsulation
Industry: Technology for packaging RNA
RNA Encapsulation has designed a technology for packaging, assembling and delivering RNA (ribonucleic acid) for use by researchers.
RNA interference, or RNAi, is a natural mechanism for turning off genes. Nature uses RNAi to regulate specific genes, and since the mechanism was discovered, researchers have been using RNAi studies to investigate a variety of topics, including curing hepatitis B, protecting plants from insects, increasing crop yields and protecting honeybees from parasites.
The company’s technology encapsulates RNA within a virus-like particle (VLP). Through numerous tests, the company has found that RNA-VLPs are stable even when exposed to enzymatic, chemical or environmental challenges. RNA-VLPs degrade ten to a hundred times more slowly than free RNA, offering a much more stable packaging to better meet the needs of RNAi researchers.
