Turning diseases off?

Researchers in Europe are now looking at ways to basically turn OFF genes that express certain diseases such as cancer, arthritis, HIV, and even the flu. The genes that produce proteins that cause these disease are to be intercepted by Small Intercepting RNA (siRNA). When the bad mRNAs are intercepted by siRNA, they are essentially turned off, and the bad mRNA's proteins are not expressed. The siRNA are injected into the body by placing them inside nano-sugar-crystals. The sugars are ingested by the body as a source of energy, and once they are digested, they release the siRNA which are then free to move about the body without running into problems with the immune system. Human trials are still years away, but it's a new interesting approach to creating new drugs to cure diseases. -Oliver Hunt

http://ec.europa.eu/research/headlines/news/article_06_11_29_en.html