Alnylam Receives Allowance for Broad New European Patent Covering RNAi Therapeutics
New "Kreutzer-Limmer II'' Patent Covers RNAi Therapeutics towards over 125 Disease Targets
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced the allowance of broad claims from the European Patent Office for a new patent (EP Patent No. 1352061) covering small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), the molecules that mediate RNA interference (RNAi). The new "Kreutzer-Limmer II" patent, which Alnylam acquired in the July 2003 merger with Ribopharma AG, includes allowed claims that cover therapeutic compositions, methods, and uses of siRNAs and derivatives directed toward over 125 disease targets.
The new patent includes 103 allowed claims on therapeutic compositions, methods, and uses comprising siRNAs that are complementary to all mRNA sequences in over 125 disease target genes. These genes include targets that are part of ongoing Alnylam development and pre-clinical programs, such as those involved in the VEGF pathway and those expressed by viral pathogens including RSV and influenza virus. In addition, the claimed targets include oncogenes, cytokines, cell adhesion receptors, angiogenesis targets, apoptosis and cell cycle targets, and additional viral disease targets such as HCV and HIV.
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