title: Virus-Based RNA Silencing Agents and Virus-Derived Expression Vectors as Gene Therapy Vehicles.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In consideration of recent developments in understanding the genomics and proteomics of viruses, the use of viral DNA / RNA sequences as well as their gene expression schemes, have found new in-roads towards the prognosis and therapy of diseases. Correspondingly, the sphere of the patenting scenario has expanded significantly.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The current review addresses patented inventions concerning the use of virus sequences as gene silencing machineries and inventions concerning the generation and application of viral sequences as expression vectors. Furthermore, this review also discusses the employment of these patents for clinical, agricultural and biotechnological applications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Considering these objectives, the Delphion Research Intellectual Property Network database was searched using keywords such as "gene silencing", "engineered viruses" and "expression vectors" and descriptions of recent patents on the said topics were discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite several recent advances in the use of viruses as disease therapy vehicles and biotechnological vectors, these developments have yet to be proven effective in practice, in clinical and field trials.
authors.affiliation: Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 3B2. Canada.
authors.forename: Srividhya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Venkataraman
authors.affiliation: Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 3B2. Canada.
authors.forename: Tauqeer
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.affiliation: Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 3B2. Canada.
authors.forename: Mounir G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: AbouHaidar
authors.affiliation: Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 3B2. Canada.
authors.forename: Kathleen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Hefferon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015870:Gene Expression; D020868:Gene Silencing; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000379:methods; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D010330:Patents as Topic; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D014780:Viruses
chemical_list: D019444:Vaccines, DNA
keywords: Antisense compounds; expression vectors; gene-silencing; genetically engineered viruses; prognosis.; viral
  pathogenesis