July 28, 2010 (FinancialWire) (Go to http://www.financialwire.net/?s=ftrdnwswnd for all of today’s featured news.) — SurModics, Inc. (NASDAQ: SRDX), a provider of drug delivery and surface modification technologies, and EGEN, Inc., a privately held biopharmaceutical firm, said they have executed a continuation of their feasibility collaboration focused on long-term controlled release of siRNA complexes.

In work presented earlier this year at the Boston TIDES 2010 meeting, the companies disclosed more than 100 days of sustained release of siRNA nanocomplexes in vitro. According to the companies, the kinetics of siRNA nanocomplex release can be modulated by alterations in formulation, providing a range of extended release systems.

In this work, EGEN's proprietary TheraSilence nanoparticles were used in combination with SurModics' proprietary Eureka DUET platform. The two companies said that work is progressing to further optimize the combination of these technologies leading to evaluation in relevant animal models.

The companies said that long-term siRNA delivery systems offer the potential of increased safety and efficacy, improved patient convenience (for example, with less dosing or injections), enhanced compliance and ultimately better therapeutic response.

EGEN is focused on developing therapeutics for the treatment of human diseases, particularly cancer. The company specializes in the delivery of therapeutic nucleic acids (DNA and RNAi) aimed at specific disease targets via its proprietary TheraPlas and TheraSilence technologies.

Minnesota-based SurModics partners with medical device, pharmaceutical and life science companies to develop and commercialize products meant to result in improved diagnosis and treatment for patients.

Its core offerings include drug delivery technologies (coatings, microparticles, nanoparticles, and implants); surface modification coating technologies that impart lubricity, prohealing, and biocompatibility capabilities; and components for in vitro diagnostic test kits and specialized surfaces for cell culture and microarrays.

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