CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALNY) announced today the achievement of an important milestone in its strategic alliance with Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ISIS). Alnylam has initiated IND-enabling studies with an RNAi therapeutic clinical candidate that utilizes technology and intellectual property licensed exclusively from Isis. Under the 2004 strategic alliance agreement, Alnylam obtained an exclusive license to Isis intellectual property for double-stranded oligonucleotide therapeutics that mediate RNAi, such as small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), in return for upfront cash payments, milestone payments, and royalties. The achievement of the development milestone demonstrates the importance of Isis technology for the advancement of RNAi therapeutics.
