Alnylam and Dicerna form RNAi Therapeutics collaboration on alpha-1 liver disease

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals and Dicerna Pharmaceuticals have formed a development and commercialization collaboration on investigational RNAi therapeutics for the treatment of alpha-1 antitrypsin (A1AT) deficiency-associated liver disease (alpha-1 liver disease).

In addition, the companies have completed a cross-license of their respective intellectual property for Alnylam’s lumasiran and Dicerna’s nedosiran investigational programs for the treatment of primary hyperoxaluria (PH). These agreements will enhance and accelerate Alnylam’s and Dicerna’s ability to bring these orphan product candidates to market.

"We are excited to bring our two leading RNAi therapeutics companies together in our efforts to advance potentially transformative medicines for the treatment of two rare diseases with significant unmet medical need. Specifically, the new agreements allow for Alnylam and Dicerna to join forces in areas of common interest, namely alpha-1 liver disease and primary hyperoxaluria," said John Maraganore, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Alnylam. "We look forward to collaborating with Dicerna to advance treatments for patients living with alpha-1 liver disease, where Dicerna will lead development and U.S. commercialization while Alnylam retains an ex-U.S. commercialization option, where the company already has the resources and experience to hit the ground running. Moreover, our cross-license agreement for primary hyperoxaluria puts the needs of patients and the patient community first, and ensures freedom to operate for both companies for their respective RNAi therapeutic programs in this ultra-rare orphan disease."

"These agreements between Alnylam and Dicerna represent biopharma collaboration at its best, unifying the strengths of two leaders in RNAi innovation to rally behind the common goal of delivering much-needed new therapies to patients with rare diseases," said Douglas M. Fambrough, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Dicerna. "By joining our efforts in alpha-1 liver disease, we believe we can be more strongly assured of bringing forward the therapy with the greatest potential to benefit patients. At the same time, our agreement related to lumasiran and nedosiran clears a path for each company to offer a new and differentiated treatment to patients with PH."

Under the development and commercialization agreement, Alnylam’s ALN-AAT02 and Dicerna’s DCR-A1AT, investigational RNAi therapeutics, each in Phase 1/2 development, will be explored for the treatment of alpha-1 liver disease. Under the agreement, Dicerna assumes responsibility for both ALN-AAT02 and DCR-A1AT at its cost, and may progress one or both of these investigational medicines through clinical development. Dicerna will select which product candidate(s) to advance in development for the treatment of patients with alpha-1 liver disease. At the completion of Phase 3, Alnylam has the no-cost opportunity to opt-in to commercialize the selected candidate in countries outside the U.S., where it already has a commercialization infrastructure in place. If Alnylam exercises its opt-in right, each party shall pay tiered royalties to the other party based on net product sales generated in its territory at rates dependent on which candidate is commercialized. In the event Alnylam waives its commercialization option, Dicerna will retain worldwide rights to commercialize the selected candidate(s) in exchange for milestones and royalties payable to Alnylam, also at a rate dependent on which candidate is ultimately commercialized.

In a separate agreement, Alnylam and Dicerna granted each other a non-exclusive cross-license to their respective intellectual property related to their PH treatment investigational programs to ensure that each party has the freedom to develop and commercialize its respective product candidate: Alnylam’s lumasiran targeting glycolate oxidase (GO) for the treatment of PH type 1 and Dicerna’s nedosiran targeting lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) for the treatment of PH types 1, 2, and 3. Alnylam’s lumasiran has achieved positive Phase 3 results in the ILLUMINATE-A study and is currently the subject of a rolling new drug application (NDA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Dicerna’s nedosiran is currently being evaluated in the PHYOX™ clinical development program in patients with PH. The cross-license agreement provides for Alnylam to pay mid- to high-single-digit royalties to Dicerna based on global net sales of lumasiran and for Dicerna to pay low-single-digit royalties to Alnylam on global net sales of nedosiran.

The transaction related to alpha-1 liver disease is subject to the expiration or termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 and other customary conditions.

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