To provide a drug which effectively and selectively silences a gene in a JC virus using a RNAi mechanism of a cell itself, has both high biological activity and biostability, and effectively inhibits a replication of the JC virus used for a treatment during a pathological process mediated by a JC virus infection.
The invention relates to a double stranded ribonucleic acid (dsRNA) for inhibiting an expression of a JC virus gene (JC virus genome). The dsRNA includes an antisense strand having a nearly complementary nucleotide sequence in at least part of a JC virus gene. The nucleotide sequence is less than 30 nucleotides in length and usually 19-25 nucleotides. The invention also relates to: a pharmaceutical composition including the dsRNA together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier; methods of treating diseases caused by the expression of a JC virus by using the pharmaceutical composition; and methods of inhibiting the expression of a JC virus in a cell.
SAH DINAH
BRAMLAGE BIRGIT
Takaaki Yasumura
Natsuki Morishita