BILTHOVEN and AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands, October 30 — InteRNA Technologies B.V. and VU university medical center in Amsterdam, VUmc, announce today the signing of a framework research agreement to develop microRNA (miRNA)-based diagnostics and therapeutics for cancer using InteRNA’s proprietary library of miRNAs.

Under the research collaboration, InteRNA will apply its unique lentiviral-based miRNA overexpression library in multi-parametric, high-throughput screening assays to identify the biological role of individual miRNAs and novel therapeutic targets in leukemia, colon, prostate and head and neck cancer. In addition, diagnostic miRNA profiles will be developed through next-generation sequencing, in combination with InteRNA’s proprietary small RNA bioinformatics pipeline, miR-Intess(TM), on diverse patient sample sets provided by VUmc.

“We are very excited about the opportunity of combining profiling and functional screens based on our proprietary miRNA library in the diverse research projects. This research collaboration with renowned investigators at several departments embedded within the Cancer Center Amsterdam at the VUmc will significantly boost our discovery programs,” said Roel Schaapveld, Chief Operating Officer of InteRNA Technologies.

“MicroRNA’s play a critical role in the development of cancer and are expected to predict clinical behaviour in cancer patients. This collaboration enables us to find new microRNA-based biomarkers for tumor progression as well as to develop opportunities for pharmacological intervention in a range of malignant diseases,” said professor Gerrit Meijer of VUmc.

“The collaboration with InteRNA is another example of our mission to translate our scientific knowledge into products and services that improve healthcare and prevention of disease,” said Koen Verhoef, Technology Transfer Officer of VU university medical center.