Max
01-25-2005, 09:52 AM
Alnylam Initiates Program to Develop RNAi Therapeutics for Spinal Cord Injury
- New Program is Part of Therapeutic Alliance with Merck -
Distribution Source : PRNewswire
Date : Tuesday - January 25, 2005
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. , a leading therapeutic RNA interference (RNAi) company, today announced that it is initiating a program to develop RNAi therapeutics for spinal cord injury as part of its previously announced strategic collaboration with Merck & Co., Inc. to develop RNAi therapeutics and technology. The new program will focus on a specific drug target proposed by Merck, and Alnylam will proceed with preclinical development of an RNAi therapeutic for this target. The drug target is in the Nogo pathway, which plays a key role in preventing regeneration of nerves after injury, such as spinal cord injuries. An RNAi therapeutic that inhibits this pathway could potentially reduce or prevent paralysis caused by such injuries.
"The initiation of this program is another important step in our development of a robust pipeline of RNAi therapeutics for major unmet medical needs," commented John Maraganore, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Alnylam. "We are hopeful that the breakthrough therapeutic potential of RNAi can provide relief to the thousands of patients whose lives are dramatically impacted by spinal cord injuries."
Alnylam and Merck have entered into two separate, but complementary, strategic collaborations. The program to develop an RNAi therapeutic for spinal cord injury falls within the first of these collaborations, initiated in September 2003. The goals of this collaboration are to advance RNAi technology and to apply this technology to develop RNAi therapeutics that selectively target human diseases. For therapeutics development, Merck proposes potential targets to Alnylam, and if Alnylam develops a candidate RNAi therapeutic against a "Merck target" to a defined point in preclinical development, Merck may then opt to co-develop and co-promote this RNAi therapeutic with Alnylam. If Merck exercises this option it will pay Alnylam an option fee, reimburse Alnylam for fifty percent of its expenses previously incurred on the candidate RNAi therapeutic, and co-fund development from that point.
http://press.arrivenet.com/bus/article.php/568765.html
http://stores.ebay.com/MAKSYM-Variety-Store
- New Program is Part of Therapeutic Alliance with Merck -
Distribution Source : PRNewswire
Date : Tuesday - January 25, 2005
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. , a leading therapeutic RNA interference (RNAi) company, today announced that it is initiating a program to develop RNAi therapeutics for spinal cord injury as part of its previously announced strategic collaboration with Merck & Co., Inc. to develop RNAi therapeutics and technology. The new program will focus on a specific drug target proposed by Merck, and Alnylam will proceed with preclinical development of an RNAi therapeutic for this target. The drug target is in the Nogo pathway, which plays a key role in preventing regeneration of nerves after injury, such as spinal cord injuries. An RNAi therapeutic that inhibits this pathway could potentially reduce or prevent paralysis caused by such injuries.
"The initiation of this program is another important step in our development of a robust pipeline of RNAi therapeutics for major unmet medical needs," commented John Maraganore, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Alnylam. "We are hopeful that the breakthrough therapeutic potential of RNAi can provide relief to the thousands of patients whose lives are dramatically impacted by spinal cord injuries."
Alnylam and Merck have entered into two separate, but complementary, strategic collaborations. The program to develop an RNAi therapeutic for spinal cord injury falls within the first of these collaborations, initiated in September 2003. The goals of this collaboration are to advance RNAi technology and to apply this technology to develop RNAi therapeutics that selectively target human diseases. For therapeutics development, Merck proposes potential targets to Alnylam, and if Alnylam develops a candidate RNAi therapeutic against a "Merck target" to a defined point in preclinical development, Merck may then opt to co-develop and co-promote this RNAi therapeutic with Alnylam. If Merck exercises this option it will pay Alnylam an option fee, reimburse Alnylam for fifty percent of its expenses previously incurred on the candidate RNAi therapeutic, and co-fund development from that point.
http://press.arrivenet.com/bus/article.php/568765.html
http://stores.ebay.com/MAKSYM-Variety-Store