LINK Technologies reports that it has observed a significant increase in requests for vitamin-modified oligo precursors, following on from the increasing use of vitamin-modified oligonucleotides in life science research.
The company is a certified specialist in the provision of phosphoramidites and reagents for oligo synthesis, both direct to research groups and to oligo manufacturers.
It says the growing interest in such compounds reflects the current buzz around research into the enhanced targeting and delivery of nucleotide-based treatments.
Such research is vital for the therapeutic industry, it says, where accurate targeting and effective uptake of pharmaceutical compounds is essential both to ensure positive medicinal value and to avoid undesirable, potentially dangerous side effects.
As an example, it says researchers have recently highlighted the value of utilising vitamin-modified oligonucleotides, such as those containing tocopherol, to facilitate oligonucleotide transport across cell membranes.
The sourcing of reliable and pure modified phosphoramidite precursors for oligo synthesis will prove an important step in the production of such therapeutics, for use in gene therapy, RNA-induced gene silencing and further academic research, the company says.
The rise in demand for modified oligos is the result of the expansion of research in drug delivery methods, and with the progression of early-stage drugs into the clinical trial phase.
These commercial demands require increased quantities of chemically-altered oligos, leading to a significant rise in order quantities of modified phosphoramidites, to the kilogram scale and beyond.
The growth in the range of available phosphoramidite modifications is fuelled in part by its own research and optimisation programmes, says Link technologies, as it strives to keep pace with demands from the scientific research community.