Patent ID: 7928217

Claim:
A double-stranded ribonucleic acid (dsRNA) having increased stability in a biological sample, wherein the dsRNA comprises: (I) a nucleotide overhang having the nucleotide sequence 5′-GCNN-3′, wherein N is A, G, C, U, dT, dU or absent; and (II) at least one of (a) 2′-modified uridines in all occurrences of the sequence motif 5′-uridine-adenine-3′ (5′-ua-3′), or (b) 2′-modified uridines in all occurrences of the sequence motif 5′-uridine-guanine-3′ (5′-ug-3′), or (c) 2′-modified 5′-most uridines in all occurrences of the sequence motif 5′-uridine-uridine-3′ (5′ -uu-3′), or (d) 2′-modified uridines in all occurrences of the sequence motif 5′-uridine-cytidine-3′ (5′ -uc-3′), or (e) 2′-modified cytidines in all occurrences of the sequence motif 5′-cytidine-adenine-3′ (5′-ca-3′), or (f) 2′-modified cytidines in all occurrences of the sequence motif 5′-cytidine-uridine-3′ (5′-cu-3′), or (g) 2′-modified 5′-most cytidines in all occurrences of the sequence motif 5′-cytidine-cytidine-3′ (5′-cc-3′).