Licensing Opportunity
from the University of Rhode Island
Modified Oligonucleotides Containing Diphosphodiester
Internucleotide Linkages
Description of Invention: The synthesis and biochemical utility of modified oligonucleotides containing
diphosphodiester internucleotide linkages. The synthesis of these compounds was carried out using
diphosphitylating reagents. Oligonucleotides containing diphosphate diester bridges wherein said
oligonucleotides are synthesized via a solid-phase synthesis strategy to form modified oligonucleotides.
Diphosphitylating, triphosphitylating, tetraphosphitylating, .beta.-triphosphitylating, bifunctional
diphosphitylating, bifunctional triphosphitylating, and bifunctional tetraphosphitylating reagents wherein, the
phosphorus atoms are linked together through oxygen, sulfur, amino, or methylene groups and/or are
substituted with chlorine, diisopropylamine and cyanoethoxy groups.
Potential Areas of Application:
1) During the past two decades, chemically modified oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) have received much
attention in search for potential therapeutic and diagnostic agents and in the study of numerous
biochemical and biological processes. The use of modified ODNs as specific targeting of gene
expression has become an indispensable tool in antisense research.
2) The reagents used for synthesizing these modified oligonucleotide molecules may be highly valuable
in pharmaceutical and chemical industry.
Main Advantages of Invention:
1) This invention describes the synthesis and potential biochemical utility of modified oligonucleotides
containing diphosphodiester internucleotide linkages. The synthesis of these compounds was carried
out by using novel diphosphitylating reagents. The reagents used for synthesizing these modified
oligonucleotide molecules may be highly valuable in pharmaceutical and chemical industry.
2) Described is the synthesis and potential biochemical utility of modified oligonucleotides containing
diphosphate diester internucleotide linkages (FIG. 1). The compounds have a larger distance
between 5' and 3' oxygens of two nucleotides across the internucleotide bridge compared to that in
the natural ODNs. The potential of modified ODNs for forming a double-stranded DNA by binding with
modified and unmodified complementary chains was investigated and compared with natural DNA
chains to establish a new family of chemically modified ODNs.
Lead Inventor:
Keykavous Parang et al, Biomedical Sciences
Status:
US patent application 11/972,254 filed January 10, 2008
Modified Oligonucleotides USPTO Website Link
Category: Biological, Pharmaceutical, Life Sciences
Licensing Status:
Available for licensing
Reference #:8011
Please contact David R. Sadowski or Raymond Walsh - Division of Research & Economic Development, University of Rhode Island,
75 Lower College Rd. Suite 001, Kingston, RI 02881; 401-874-4807 or Fax 401-874-7832
http://www.uri.edu/research/tro/executive/sadowski.html
Rev. 01-14-10