AU2012353330B2 — Chimeric double-stranded nucleic acid

USPTO Abstract

Disclosed are double-stranded nucleic acid complexes that suppress the expression of a target gene by means of an antisense effect, and methods for using the same. One method for reducing the level of a transcription product in a cell comprises contacting with the cell a composition comprising: a double-stranded nucleic acid complex comprising a first nucleic acid strand annealed to a second nucleic acid strand, wherein: the first nucleic acid strand (i) comprises nucleotides and optionally nucleotide analogs, and the total number of nucleotides and nucleotide analogs in the first nucleic acid strand is from 8 to 100, (ii) comprises at least 4 consecutive nucleotides that are recognized by RNase H when the first nucleic acid strand is hybridized to the transcription product, and (iii) the first nucleic acid strand hybridizes to the transcription product; and the second nucleic acid strand comprises nucleotides and optionally nucleotide analogs.