The alliance, which pairs Tenaya’s modality agnostic target identification and validation capabilities with Alnylam’s deep experience in RNA interference therapeutics, comes during a period of resurgence for the cardiovascular space.
Alnylam is linking up with Tenaya Therapeutics to identify novel genetic targets for heart disease—the latest in a string of recent events that represent something of a cardiovascular renaissance.
Under the terms of the heavily backloaded deal, Alnylam will pay Tenaya $10 million upfront, and be on the hook for up to $1.13 billion in potential research funding and milestone payments, according to Tenaya’s Thursday press release. Tenaya will also receive reimbursement for related costs incurred over a two-year validation term.
Tenaya will leverage its modality agnostic target identification and validation platform for up to 15 gene targets that could lead to disease-modifying treatments for cardiovascular diseases. Alnylam will take over development and commercialization activities associated with the gene targets.
While Tenaya’s announcement does not list any specific disease areas, the South San Francisco–based biotech’s pipeline consists of gene therapy and gene editing programs for prevalent, rare and ultra-rare conditions. Clinical-stage gene therapy candidates TN-201 and TN-401 are in development for MYBPC3-associated hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and PKP2-associated arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, respectively.
“By combining our modality agnostic target identification and validation capabilities with Alnylam’s leadership in RNA interference therapeutics, we have an opportunity to advance candidates for novel genetic targets with the potential to create transformational medicines for patients with heart disease,” Tenaya CEO Faraz Ali said in a statement on Thursday.
RNAi leader Alnylam already has a significant presence in the cardiovascular space, with marketed therapy Amvuttra, indicated for ATTR-cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM), and a pipeline that includes nucresiran, in Phase 3 development for ATTR-CM, along with candidates for hypertension and hypercholesterolemia.
Once helmed by long-marketed statins, cardiovascular disease—the leading cause of the death worldwide—has stormed back into the spotlight the past couple of years. In January 2025, Kardigan, led by MyoKardia alumni, debuted with $300 million to take a targeted approach to cardiovascular disease. Meanwhile, BridgeBio won approval for Attruby in ATTR-CM in November 2024, igniting a three-way competition with Alnylam and Pfizer.
More recently, Eli Lilly in February snagged a new immune-inflammatory and cardiovascular program for $100 million upfront in a licensing deal with CSL. Corsera Health—a member of BioSpace’s Next Gen Class of 2026—raised $80 million in a series A financing to advance siRNA programs aiming to silence the expression of PCSK9 to lower LDL-cholesterol and angiotensinogen (AGT) and reduce blood pressure. The company’s lead program, COR-1004, is currently in a Phase 1 trial.
