Ambion Awarded Grant to Advance RNA Interference Technology used for Gene Analysis

Austin, TX, September 23, 2002 -- Ambion, Inc. (Austin, TX), was awarded a phase I SBIR grant valued at $221,000 from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) to further the development of short interfering RNA (siRNA) technologies. siRNA are double-stranded RNA of approximately 20 base pairs that block or decrease the expression of specific gene targets. A comprehensive study of siRNA is proposed in this grant with aims of improving the basic technology by improving target site selection, optimizing delivery of the siRNA into cells, and characterizing the general features of siRNA that maximize its efficacy.

siRNA technology will enable researchers to identify human gene function, perform gene structure-function analysis, identify drug targets, and may be used as a therapy to treat a number of diseases. This technology is far superior to other gene knock-down technologies currently available. Ambion, Inc. is one of only four companies licensed to sell siRNA to the research market including both academic institutions and the pharmaceutical industry. Ambion is a leader in this market offering a wide rage of kits and services for synthesizing siRNA, introducing siRNA into cells, and analyzing siRNA knock-down efficacy.

Ambion, Inc. is a market leader in the development and supply of innovative RNA-based life science research and molecular biology products. Ambion specializes in the development of products for stabilizing, synthesizing, handling, isolating, storing, amplifying, detecting and measuring RNA.