Double-stranded, short interfering nucleic aicd (siNA) molecules

摘要

The invention relates to a double-stranded, short interfering nucleic acid (siNA) molecule that directs cleavage of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) RNA via RNA interference, wherein (a) each strand of said siNA molecule is 18-27 nucleotides in length; (b) the antisense strand comprises a sequence complementary to a sequence of VEGF RNA and the sense strand is complementary to the antisense strand; and (c) the siNA molecule comprises at least one chemically modified nucleotide or non-nucleotide at the 5' and/or 3' end of the sense strand and the 3' end of the antisense strand. The chemically modified nucleotide may comprise a 2'-deoxy or 2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro nucleotide, a 2'-O-methyl nucleotide or a phosphoro-thioate internucleotide linkage and the non-nucleotide may be an abasic moiety. The siNA molecules are useful in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and other proliferative diseases.