Novartis and Alnylam Create Major Alliance to Discover RNAi Therapeutics
Novartis and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced a major multi-year alliance focused on the discovery of innovative therapeutics based on RNA interference (RNAi). The alliance will combine the research expertise and understanding of disease mechanism and pathway biology of Novartis with Alnylam's leading position in the field of RNAi.
RNAi is a natural process for selective gene silencing found in all cells. By utilizing the RNAi mechanism, RNAi therapeutics have the potential to treat human disease in a fundamentally new way through the silencing of disease-causing genes. During the term of the agreement, the collaboration will focus on the joint discovery of new therapeutics using RNAi across multiple disease areas in the Novartis research portfolio.
Novartis and Alnylam will form a Scientific Strategy and Advisory Group to review the overall strategy for the relevant science and clinical applications of the collaboration. The Advisory Group will be co-chaired by Dr. Fishman and Alnylam founder and director Phillip A. Sharp, Ph.D., Institute Professor of MIT and 1993 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine.
The agreement is subject to customary regulatory approvals, including antitrust review under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act.
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