Andes: Reinstating Apoptosis

Andes Biotechnologies Inc. has discovered a new family of molecules, non-coding mitochondrial RNA, which are differentially expressed in cancer cells and appear to be involved in the apoptotic pathway. The company hopes that knocking down expression of the new targets using antisense oligonucleotides will reinstate the apoptotic process in tumor cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed.

According to CEO Cristian Hernandez-Cuevas, Andes has discovered two families of non-coding mitochondrial RNA (ncmtRNA) present in human cells: sense ncmtRNA (SncmtRNA) and antisense ncmtRNA (ASncmtRNA). Hernandez-Cuevas said these RNAs are synthesized in mitochondria and migrate to the nucleus, where they have a direct effect on cell proliferation...