Dicerna Pharmaceuticals
is a venture-backed startup developing novel therapeutics in
multiple therapeutic areas based on Dicer substrate technology,
which makes use of the RNA interference mechanism.
The technology upon which Dicerna is based was discovered by Dicerna co-founders John Rossi, Ph.D., a Professor in the Division of Molecular Biology and Dean, Graduate School of Biological Sciences at City of Hope’s Beckman Research Institute in Duarte, California, and Mark Behlke, M.D., Ph.D., at Integrated DNA Technologies in Coralville, Iowa.
Dicerna was financed in November, 2007, with
$13 million of venture capital in a round led by Oxford Bioscience
Partners and Skyline Ventures. Dicerna is led by seasoned
biotechnology industry veterans including CEO James C. Jenson,
Ph.D., and SVP Pharmaceutical Development Roberto Guerciolini,
M.D., both of whom are also co-founders of the company. The
company is based in the Boston area.