Shanghai Circode Bio and Pfizer Collaborate to Explore Circular RNA Therapy Potential

Shanghai Circode Bio has entered into a partnership with US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) to explore the therapeutic potential of circular RNA (circRNA). This strategic collaboration aims to fully leverage Circode Bio’s unique circular RNA technology platform and combine it with Pfizer’s extensive expertise and experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Both parties will collaborate to deepen their understanding of circular RNA technology and facilitate its development into drug candidate molecules.

Understanding Circular RNA (circRNA) and Its Therapeutic Potential
Circular RNAs (circRNA) are covalently closed endogenous biomolecules with tissue-specific and cell-specific expression patterns in Eukaryotes. Their biogenesis is regulated by specific Cis-regulatory elements and Trans-acting factors. Initially discovered in 1976 and once considered by-products of incorrect mRNA splicing, circRNAs gained renewed attention in 2013 when two research papers published in Nature highlighted their regulatory effects. These studies indicated that circRNAs can act as miRNA sponges, regulating the expression of other genes. Since then, circRNAs have been recognized as important molecules in normal cell differentiation, tissue homeostasis, disease development, and immune metabolism. They are also characterized by high stability, being unaffected by RNA Exonuclease, and have been implicated in a variety of human diseases, including diabetes, nervous system diseases, and cardiovascular diseases.-Fineline Info & Tech

Insight, China's Pharmaceutical Industry