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Print Edition StoriesMonday, February 8, 2010
Alnylam takes step toward in vivo delivery patent
By Mass High Tech staff
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Cambridge-based Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc. has cleared a key hurdle in its bid for a patent covering small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) intended for in vivo delivery.
Alnylam (Nasdaq: ALNY) received a “Notice of Allowance” from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for what Alnylam refers to as its “Soutschek and Manoharan” patent application. That notice of allowance is generally defined as an indication that the Patent Office has recognized at least one of Alnylam’s claims in its patent application, and that the patent will be issued once the company pays a fee to the Patent Office.
The “Soutschek and Manoharan” patent (Application No. 10/916,185) outlines chemically modified siRNAs directed to a target, including siRNAs with sterol conjugates for in vivo (cell) delivery. The patent is based on the ground-breaking research by Alnylam scientists on systemic delivery of RNAi therapeutics described in a paper published six years ago. Alnylam said the paper was the first to show RNAi-mediated gene silencing in mammals with systemic delivery of chemically modified RNAi therapeutics in vivo.
“We are very pleased with the USPTO’s allowance of claims from this patent, as it heralds a new wave of Alnylam-derived patents based on the pioneering research efforts of our scientists on in vivo delivery of RNAi therapeutics. Importantly, these new patents significantly broaden the scope and extend the horizon of our fundamental intellectual property, including patents from the Crooke, Glover, Kreutzer-Limmer, Tuschl I and Tuschl II patent families,” said Barry Greene, president and chief operating officer for Alnylam.
Last month, Alnylam reported that it had received a milestone payment from its partner, Swiss medical technology giant Roche Holding AG, for the start of its pre-investigational new drug application studies related to an RNAi treatment.
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