Regulus Therapeutics Inc., of La Jolla, Calif., gained exclusive rights from New York University (NYU) to intellectual property covering methods of use in modulating microRNA-33a (miR-33a) and miR-33b for metabolic diseases such as atherosclerosis and metabolic syndrome. Scientists from Regulus and NYU have shown that antagonizing miR-33a and miR-33b with therapeutic oligonucleotide anti-miRs had several beneficial effects, including reduction in atherosclerotic plaque and increase in levels of high-density lipoprotein.