RXi moving to Worcester's Gateway Park

RXi Pharmaceuticals, a company founded by Nobel Laureate Craig Mello, has signed a lease to locate offices at the WPI Life Sciences and Bioengineering Center in Worcester's Gateway Park, officials for Gateway Park said.

RXi is a research-and-development company focused on RNAi, or RNA interference, therapeutics; RNAi is a naturally occurring mechanism within cells for selectively silencing and regulating specific genes, and since many diseases are caused by the inappropriate activity of specific cells, the ability to silence genes selectively through RNAi has great potential, many researchers believe.

Gateway Park is a "12-acre mixed-use destination for life sciences and biotech companies," said the joint venture that created the park.

The joint venture is made up of Worcester Polytechnic Institute and the Worcester Business Development Corp.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)