Monday, August 4, 2008

Alnylam branches out from RNAi with new ‘RNAa’ IP portfolio

By Mass High Tech Staff

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc. has widened its RNA therapeutics program by obtaining the intellectual property (IP) rights for a new type of technology called RNA activation, or RNAa.

The Cambridge-based biotech made a series of license agreements with academic institutions to “consolidate” the rights to the emerging technology — these include the Corey lab at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, the Li lab at the University of California San Francisco and the Gage lab at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, according to Alnylam officials.

Instead of silencing genes as with RNA interference (RNAi), RNAa has the potential to increase the amount of a specific protein produced when precise genes are activated. Low amounts of certain proteins are responsible a whole host of genetic diseases including cancer.

In July 2008, Alnylam (Nasdaq: ALNY) granted Pasadena, Calif.-based Calando Pharmaceuticals Inc. a license for its RNAi therapeutic tool InterfeRx.

Calando plans to use the product to produce a synthetic RNAi therapy aimed at a specific cancer gene. The non-exclusive agreement gives Alnylam the option to co-develop and co-commercialize therapeutics in the U.S. Financial details were not disclosed.

RNAi is a naturally occurring mechanism that inhibits gene expression within cells, regulating specific gene functions.

Alnylam has 129 employees and reported a 2007 net loss of $85.5 million on revenue of $50.9 million.