Patent ID: 7910566
Filing Date: 2011-03-22
Classification: A61K

Abstract:
1. A method of treating a patient at risk for acute renal failure following a renal ischemic-reperfusion event which comprises administering to the patient a composition comprising a double-stranded RNA compound having the structure: 5′ ugaagggugaaauauucuc 3′ (antisense strand) (SEQ ID NO: 48) 3′ acuucccacuuuauaagag 5′ (sense strand) (SEQ ID NO: 25) wherein each of a, c, u, and g is an unmodified or a 2′-O-Methyl sugar modified ribonucleotide and each consecutive ribonucleotide is joined to the next ribonucleotide by a covalent bond; wherein alternating ribonucleotides in both the antisense strand and the sense strand are 2′-O-Methyl sugar modified ribonucleotides and a 2′-O-Methyl sugar modified ribonucleotide is present at the 5′ terminus and at the 3′ terminus of the antisense strand and an unmodified ribonucleotide is present at the 5′ terminus and at the 3′ terminus of the sense strand; wherein the compound is from 19 to 23 ribonucleotides in length; and wherein the composition is administered in a therapeutically effective dose between 2 hours before and 8 hours following initiation of the renal ischemic-reperfusion event so as to down-regulate expression of a p53 gene and thereby treat the patient.