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OyaGen
OyaGen is a Rochester, New York-based startup company that is focused on developing treatments for HIV. The company was founded in 2003 by Harold Smith, a professor of biochemistry and biophysics at the University of Rochester.[1][2] OyaGen was founded on research conducted by Smith and Hui Zang, an HIV researcher at Thomas Jefferson University.[1] ResearchOyaGen's research has focused on developing drug-based treatments for HIV and the company has three lead HIV drugs based upon editing enzymes in preclinical development.[3] The company is exploring ways to prevent HIV from disabling the production of APOBEC3G (A3G), a naturally occurring editing enzyme that stops HIV from replicating.[1] A3G combats HIV infection by interacting with and mutating the virus' RNA.[3][4] The mutations genetically damage the virus protein and render HIV unable to replicate which halts the spread of the virus.[3][4] In laboratory testing, OyaGen was able to use drug therapy to shield A3G from HIV, which allowed A3G to function normally and halt the spread of the virus.[5] The company is also researching drugs that protect A3G from viral infectivity factor (ViF).[4][6] ViF is a protein created by HIV that "tricks" the body into destroying A3G by binding to it.[4][6] Interfering with ViF's ability to bind to A3G can effectively block HIV replication.[7] OyaGen is researching several compounds that prevent ViF from disabling A3G, including A3G agonists, ViF destabilizers and ViF dimerization antagonists.[7][8] FundingThe company received seed funding from Trillium Group's University Technology Fund and the University of Rochester Medical Center.[1][5] It has also received funding from the New York State Retirement Common Fund's Private Equity Program.[9][10] The New York State Retirement Common Fund has invested approximately $1.4 million in the company since 2006.[10] OyaGen's research has also been underwritten in part by the National Institutes of Health, which awarded grants to the company in 2011,[11] 2012,[12] and 2013.[13] See alsoReferences
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External linksInformation related to OyaGen |
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