Biotherapeutics

Alnylam is applying RNAi technology to improve the manufacturing processes for biologics, an approach that has the potential to create new business opportunities and which the company is advancing in an internal effort called "Alnylam Biotherapeutics." This initiative is focused on applying RNAi technologies to transform the $100 billion biologics marketplace, which is comprised of recombinant proteins, monoclonal antibodies, and vaccines.

Alnylam is advancing RNAi technologies to improve the quantity and quality of biologics manufacturing processes using mammalian cell culture, such as Chinese hamster ovary cells, or "CHO" cells. This RNAi technology can be applied to the improvement of manufacturing processes for existing marketed drugs, new drugs in development, and for the emerging biosimilars market. Alnylam has developed proprietary delivery lipids that enable the efficient transfection of siRNAs into CHO cells when grown in suspension culture. Studies have demonstrated that silencing certain target genes involved in certain CHO cell apoptotic and metabolic pathways resulted in 40 to 60% improved cell viability as compared with untreated cells.

As Alnylam Biotherapeutics advances the technology, it plans to seek partnerships with established biologic manufacturers, selling licenses, products, and services. Alnylam Biotherapeutics is comprised of a focused team of Alnylam employees and the company plans to retain complete ownership of this effort at the present time.