Oct 18, 2017 Press Release for Alnylam
Alnylam and Vir Form Strategic Alliance to Advance RNAi Therapeutics for Infectious Diseases
Oct 18, 2017
– Agreement Includes Investigational RNAi Therapeutic Program for Hepatitis B Virus Infection and Discovery Collaboration on Additional Development Candidates for Treatment of Infectious Diseases –
“This agreement represents another step toward bringing RNAi
therapeutics to patients with limited or inadequate therapeutic options.
Partnering with the exceptional, experienced team at Vir to advance
investigational RNAi therapeutics in infectious diseases will expedite
the development path for these medicines, while enabling Alnylam to
maintain operational focus on our robust pipeline of later-stage
programs,” said
“We are excited to partner with Alnylam to bring scientific innovation
to infectious diseases, such as hepatitis B, that impact global health
and currently have significant unmet needs,” said
Alnylam is developing ALN-HBV for the treatment of chronic HBV
infection. A Phase 1/2 clinical trial of ALN-HBV was initiated in
As part of the agreement, Alnylam will lead ALN-HBV02 to IND filing, with Vir then progressing ALN-HBV02 through human proof of concept (POC); the companies will co-fund the program through this point. Subsequently, Vir will fund and conduct all development through completion of Phase 2 studies. Thereafter, Alnylam retains the right to opt into a profit-sharing arrangement prior to the start of Phase 3. In connection with the companies’ research collaboration for up to four additional infectious disease programs, Vir will fund all research and development costs, while Alnylam retains a product-by-product option on each program to opt into a profit-sharing arrangement following human POC.
Under the terms of the agreement, Alnylam will receive an upfront
payment, comprised of cash and shares of Vir common stock. Alnylam is
also eligible to receive more than
About HBV Infection
Worldwide, 2 billion people – or one out of three – are infected with HBV, and more than 250 million people are chronically infected, including 1 to 2 million people in the U.S. An estimated 1 million people die each year from HBV and its complications worldwide, of whom about 5,000 are in the U.S. Worldwide, chronic infection with hepatitis causes 80 percent of all cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which kills more than 500,000 people each year. About 5 percent of the population is a chronic carrier of HBV, and nearly 25 percent of all carriers develop serious liver diseases such as chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis or HCC. Current treatment options include long-term antiviral therapies, which permit low levels of virus cells to replicate, leading to HBV viral persistence and affecting therapeutic outcomes. There is a significant need for safe and convenient novel therapeutics that restore the host immune response through targeted hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) knockdown, thereby offering HBV patients the potential for functional cures by eliminating virus-producing cells.
About
Alnylam (Nasdaq: ALNY) is leading the translation of RNA interference
(RNAi) into a whole new class of innovative medicines with the potential
to transform the lives of people afflicted with rare genetic,
cardio-metabolic, and hepatic infectious diseases. Based on Nobel
Prize-winning science, RNAi therapeutics represent a powerful,
clinically validated approach for the treatment of a wide range of
severe and debilitating diseases. Founded in 2002, Alnylam is delivering
on a bold vision to turn scientific possibility into reality, with a
robust discovery platform and deep pipeline of investigational
medicines, including four product candidates that are in late-stage
development. Looking forward, Alnylam will continue to execute on its
"Alnylam 2020" strategy of building a multi-product, commercial-stage
biopharmaceutical company with a sustainable pipeline of RNAi-based
medicines to address the needs of patients who have limited or
inadequate treatment options. Alnylam employs over 600 people in the
U.S. and
Alnylam Forward-Looking Statements
Various statements in this release concerning Alnylam's future
expectations, plans and prospects, including without limitation,
Alnylam's views with respect to the development of ALN-HBV02 and the
potential development of investigational RNAi therapeutics for up to
four additional infectious disease programs, the potential of ESC+
conjugates to improve target specificity with an expanded therapeutic
index, the potential for Alnylam to earn milestones and royalties under
its collaboration with Vir, Alnylam’s right to opt into a profit sharing
arrangement under the Vir collaboration, and expectations regarding its
"Alnylam 2020" guidance for the advancement and commercialization of
RNAi therapeutics, constitute forward-looking statements for the
purposes of the safe harbor provisions under
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171018005459/en/
Source:
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Investors and Media:
Christine
Regan Lindenboom, 617-682-4340
or
Investors:
Josh
Brodsky, 617-551-8276
For Media Inquiries, please contact:
Christine Lindenboom
SVP, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications media@alnylam.com 617-682-4340
For Investor Inquiries, please contact:
Josh Brodsky
VP, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications investors@alnylam.com 617-551-8276
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