Methods and means for efficient skipping of at least one of the following exons of the human duchenne muscular dystrophy gene: 43, 46, 50-53

Abstract

The invention relates to a method wherein a molecule is used for inducing and/or promoting skipping of at least one of exon 43, exon 46, or exons 50-53 of the DMD pre-mRNA in a patient, the method comprising providing the patient with the molecule. The invention also relates to the molecule as such.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An antisense oligonucleotide whose base sequence consists of 5′-CUCUUGAUUGCUGGUCUUGUUUUUC-3′ (SEQ ID NO:246), wherein the oligonucleotide comprises a modification. 
     
     
         2 . The antisense oligonucleotide of  claim 1 , wherein the modification comprises at least one nucleotide analogue, wherein the nucleotide analogue comprises a modified sugar moiety, a modified backbone, a modified internucleoside linkage, or a modified base, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The antisense oligonucleotide of  claim 1 , wherein the modification comprises a modified sugar moiety. 
     
     
         4 . The antisense oligonucleotide of  claim 3 , wherein the modified sugar moiety is mono- or di-substituted at the 2′, 3′ and/or 5′ position. 
     
     
         5 . The antisense oligonucleotide of  claim 4 , wherein the modified sugar moiety comprises a 2′-O-methyl ribose. 
     
     
         6 . The antisense oligonucleotide of  claim 1 , wherein the modification comprises a modified backbone. 
     
     
         7 . The antisense oligonucleotide of  claim 6 , wherein the modified backbone comprises a morpholino backbone, a carbamate backbone, a siloxane backbone, a sulfide backbone, a sulfoxide backbone, a sulfone backbone, a formacetyl backbone, a thioformacetyl backbone, a methyleneformacetyl backbone, a riboacetyl backbone, an alkene containing backbone, a sulfamate backbone, a sulfonate backbone, a sulfonamide backbone, a methyleneimino backbone, a methylenehydrazino backbone or an amide backbone, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The antisense oligonucleotide of  claim 7 , wherein the modified backbone comprises a morpholino backbone. 
     
     
         9 . The antisense oligonucleotide of  claim 1 , wherein the modification comprises a modified internucleoside linkage. 
     
     
         10 . The antisense oligonucleotide of  claim 9 , wherein the modified internucleoside linkage comprises a phosphorothioate linkage. 
     
     
         11 . The antisense oligonucleotide of  claim 1 , wherein the modification comprises a modified base. 
     
     
         12 . The antisense oligonucleotide of  claim 1 , wherein the oligonucleotide comprises a morpholino ring, a phosphorodiamidate internucleoside linkage, a peptide nucleic acid, a locked nucleic acid (LNA), or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The antisense oligonucleotide of  claim 1 , wherein the oligonucleotide comprises a 2′-O-methyl phosphorothioate ribose. 
     
     
         14 . The antisense oligonucleotide of  claim 1 , wherein the oligonucleotide comprises a phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer (PMO). 
     
     
         15 . A pharmaceutical composition, comprising the antisense oligonucleotide of  claim 1  and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
         16 . A method of treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy or Becker muscular dystrophy in a subject, comprising administering to the subject the antisense oligonucleotide of  claim 1 .