Nucleic acids for inhibiting expression of pros1 in a cell

Abstract

The invention relates to nucleic acid products that interfere with or inhibit PROS1 gene expression. It further relates to therapeutic uses of PROS1 inhibition for the treatment of bleeding disorders.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A double-stranded nucleic acid for inhibiting expression of PROS1, wherein the nucleic acid comprises a first strand and a second strand, wherein the first strand sequence comprises a sequence of at least 15 nucleotides differing by no more than 3 nucleotides from any one of the sequences selected from SEQ ID NOs: 187, 189, 191, 193, 195, 197, 199, 201, 203, 205, 207, 209, 211, 213, 215, 217, 219, 221, 223, 225, 227, 229, 231, and 255. 
     
     
         2 . A double-stranded nucleic acid that is capable of inhibiting expression of PROS1 for use as a medicament, wherein the nucleic acid comprises a first strand and a second strand. 
     
     
         3 . The nucleic acid of  claim 1 , wherein the first strand and the second strand form a duplex region of 17-25 nucleotides in length. 
     
     
         4 . The nucleic acid of  claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid mediates RNA interference. 
     
     
         5 . The nucleic acid of  claim 1 , wherein at least one nucleotide of the first and/or second strand is a modified nucleotide, particularly a non-naturally occurring nucleotide such as a 2′-F modified nucleotide. 
     
     
         6 . The nucleic acid of  claim 1 , wherein at least nucleotides 2 and 14 of the first strand are modified by a first modification, the nucleotides being numbered consecutively starting with nucleotide number 1 at the 5′ end of the first strand. 
     
     
         7 . The nucleic acid of  claim 1 , wherein the first strand has a terminal 5′ (E)-vinylphosphonate nucleotide at its 5′ end. 
     
     
         8 . The nucleic acid of  claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid comprises a phosphorothioate linkage between the terminal two or three 3′ nucleotides and/or 5′ nucleotides of the first and/or the second strand and particularly wherein the linkages between the remaining nucleotides are phosphodiester linkages. 
     
     
         9 . The nucleic acid of  claim 1 , comprising a phosphorodithioate linkage between each of the two, three or four terminal nucleotides at the 3′ end of the first strand and/or comprising a phosphorodithioate linkage between each of the two, three or four terminal nucleotides at the 3′ end of the second strand and/or a phosphorodithioate linkage between each of the two, three or four terminal nucleotides at the 5′ end of the second strand and comprising a linkage other than a phosphorodithioate linkage between the two, three or four terminal nucleotides at the 5′ end of the first strand. 
     
     
         10 . The nucleic acid of  claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid is conjugated to a ligand. 
     
     
         11 . The nucleic acid of  claim 10 , wherein the ligand comprises (i) one or more N-acetyl galactosamine (GalNAc) moieties or derivatives thereof, and (ii) a linker, wherein the linker conjugates the at least one GalNAc moiety or derivative thereof to the nucleic acid. 
     
     
         12 . A composition comprising the nucleic acid of  claim 1  and a solvent and/or a delivery vehicle and/or a physiologically acceptable excipient and/or a carrier and/or a salt and/or a diluent and/or a buffer and/or a preservative and/or a further therapeutic agent selected from the group comprising an oligonucleotide, a small molecule, a monoclonal antibody, a polyclonal antibody and a peptide. 
     
     
         13 . The nucleic acid of  claim 1  for use as a medicament. 
     
     
         14 . A nucleic acid of  claim 1  for use in the prevention, decrease of the risk of suffering from, or treatment of a bleeding disorder, particularly haemophilia A or haemophilia B. 
     
     
         15 . Use of a nucleic acid of  claim 1  in the prevention, decrease of the risk of suffering from, or treatment of a bleeding disorder. 
     
     
         16 . A method of preventing, decreasing the risk of suffering from, or treating a blood disorder comprising administering a pharmaceutically effective amount of a nucleic acid of  claim 1  to an individual in need of treatment.