Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, has entered into a collaboration with Genentech, Inc. to develop novel small-interfering RNA (siRNA) therapeutic technologies for indications of interest to Genentech.

Under the collaboration agreement, Thermo Fisher Scientific will provide Genentech with siRNA design, stabilization, delivery and related RNA interference (RNAi) technologies from its RNAi Discovery and Therapeutic Services laboratory in Lafayette, Colorado. Genentech may use these technologies in the development of potential siRNA-based drugs. Such drugs would work by reducing, or silencing, the expression of specific genes implicated in disease. The research could extend drug discovery efforts to disease targets where traditional discovery technologies have not been successful.

“We believe the collaboration between Genentech and Thermo Fisher Scientific represents the joining of two leading-edge innovators aimed at advancing the development of siRNA-based drug technologies,” said Ian Jardine, vice president of global R&D for Thermo Fisher Scientific. “By combining Genentech’s expertise in the development of biological therapeutics with Thermo Fisher’s capabilities in RNAi and RNA chemistry, we hope to greatly advance this promising therapeutic class. Our work with Genentech will focus on developments that will enable in vivo target validation and potentially human therapeutic applications of RNAi technology.”