Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics for genetically defined diseases. The company was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 2016, Forbes included the company on its "100 Most Innovative Growth Companies" list.[3]
Public | |
Traded as | NASDAQ: ALNY Russell 1000 Component |
Industry | Pharmaceutical |
Founded | 2002 |
Headquarters | Cambridge, Massachusetts, US |
Key people | John Maraganore, (CEO) |
Revenue | |
Number of employees | 1,323 (2019)[2] |
Website | alnylam |
History
In 2002, Alnylam was founded by scientists Phillip Sharp, Paul Schimmel, David Bartel, Thomas Tuschl, and Phillip Zamore, and by investors Christoph Westphal and John Kennedy Clarke; John Maraganore was the founding CEO.[3][4][5][6] The company was named after Alnilam, a star in Orion’s belt. The spelling was modified to make it unique.[7] In 2003, the firm merged with the German pharmaceutical company, Ribopharma AG. The newly formed company also received $24.6 million in funding from private-equity firms.[8][9] On February 27, 2004, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals filed for an IPO.[5][10] The company raised $26 million and began trading as ALNY on the Nasdaq stock exchange.[11]
In 2005, the company partnered with Medtronic to develop drug-device combinations to treat neurodegenerative disorders,[12] and in 2006 with Biogen Idec to develop treatments of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.[13] In 2007, it entered into a nonexclusive alliance with Hoffmann-La Roche, in which Alnylam received $331 million in exchange for access to its technology platform.[14] and also partnered with Isis Pharmaceuticals to found the company Regulus Therapeutics, focused on microRNA therapeutics.[15]
In 2009, the company formed alliances with Cubist Pharmaceuticals and Kyowa Hakko Kirin to market a drug targeted at respiratory syncytial virus.[16] In 2010, it expanded its previous collaboration with Medtronic to include the CHDI Foundation in its Huntington's disease focused research.[17] In 2011, it partnered with GlaxoSmithKline to develop RNAi technology enhancing vaccine production.[18][19] The company entered into a 10-year alliance with Monsanto in 2012, to develop biotech solutions for the farming industry by developing natural molecules for crop protection.[20][21][22] In 2012, it formed a partnership with Sanofi Genzyme to develop a treatment for transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis, a hereditary disease in Asia.[23] In February 2013, it formed a partnership with The Medicines Company to develop a drug to treat a genetic form of high cholesterol.[24]
In July 2013, during a Phase I trial Alnylam demonstrated statistically significant reduction of a protein called transthyretin, or TTR and demonstrated human efficacy with intravenous and subcutaneous modes of administration.[25] In 2014, Sanofi Genzyme acquired a 12 percent stake in Alnylam and increased its rights to several of the company's drugs for $700 million. In a separate transaction Alnylam announced that it had purchased Merck & Co.'s Sirna Therapeutics, for $25 million cash and $150 million in stock.[26][27] In 2015, the company had $41 million in revenue and a market cap of $5.2 billion.[28]
In 2016, the company purchased land in Norton, Massachusetts to build a manufacturing facility.[29][30]
In October 2016 the Phase III clinical trial of the company's lead product, revusiran, was halted due to increased deaths in the drug arm of the trial, and the company said it was terminating development of the compound.[31][32]
In February 2020, Anylam appointed former Sanofi CEO Olivier Brandicourt to its board of directors.[33]
Products
In 2016, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals had 18 potential treatments[34] in various development stages in genetic medicine, cardiometabolic disease and hepatic infectious disease. In late 2016, the company's lead candidate in phase III studies was patisiran, a treatment targeting transthyretin (TTR) for the treatment of TTR-mediated amyloidosis (ATTR), in patients with the compromised nervous system condition of familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP).[31]
References
- "Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc".
- "Alnylam Pharmaceuticals: Number of Employees 2006-2020".
- "Most Innovative Growth Companies #100 Alnylam Pharmaceuticals". Forbes. May 2016. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
- "Alnylam Pharmaceuticals". CrunchBase. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
- Hollmer, Mark (March 8, 2004). "Cambridge Bio-Startup Alnylam Files For IPO". Boston Business Journal. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
- "Alnylam S-1". Alnylam via SEC Edgar. February 27, 2004.
- Dolgin, Elie (March 9, 2016). "What's in a Biotech Name? How Drug Startups Choose Their Name". STAT. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
- Naik, Gautam (July 7, 2003). "Ribopharma, Alnylam Announce Merger". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
- "Alnylam, ribopharma Merge, Notch $24.6 Million in Financing". Boston Business Journal. July 7, 2003. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
- "Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ALNY) IPO". Nasdaq. May 28, 2004. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
- Fodor, Kate (October 11, 2004). "Biotechs Put Initial Public Offerings On Hold". The Scientist. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
- "Medtronic, Alnylam to Seek treatments". Memphis Business Journal. February 9, 2005. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
- "Biogen Idec and Alnylam Partner in RNAi Drug Deal". Boston Business Journal. September 21, 2006. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
- Greil, Anita (July 10, 2007). "Roche Bets on Gene Research". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
- Hutton, David (June 2011). "Surf's Up For MicroRNAs". Drug Discovery News. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
- Roush, Wade (January 9, 2009). "Alnylam, Cubist Will Cooperate on RNAi Drug for Lung Infections". Xconomy. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
- Taylor, Nick (November 8, 2010). "Alnylam, Medtronic & CHDI Form RNAi Delivery Collaboration". in-Pharma Technologist. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
- Weintraub, Arlene (November 1, 2011). "Alnylam and Glaxo Partner on RNAi for Vaccine Production". Xconomy. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
- "GSK Taps Alnylam Tech For Faster Vaccine Production". Fierce Pharma. November 3, 2011. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
- Weintraub, Arlene (August 28, 2012). "Alnylam Inks $29M deal With Monsanto For New Bio Tools for Farmers". Xconomy. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
- Macron, Doug (September 6, 2012). "Monsanto, Alnylam Form $29M Alliance to Apply RNAi to Agriculture". GenomeWeb. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
- "Alnylam and Monsanto Form Strategic Alliance". BusinessWire. August 28, 2012. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
- Reidy, Chris (October 22, 2012). "Alnylam, Genzyme Form Alliance". The Boston Globe. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
- Pollack, Andrew (February 4, 2013). "Medicines Co. buys Cholesterol Drug Rights". The New York Times. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
- Fidler, Ben (2013-07-11). "Exome: Alnylam Shares Boom on Early Data For Subcutaneous RNA Drug". Xconomy (online). Retrieved 4 September 2013.
- Bennett, Simeon (January 13, 2014). "Sanofi to Pay Alnylam $700 Million for Rare-Disease Drugs". Bloomberg. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
- Stanton, Dan (January 13, 2014). "Alnylam Buys Merck's siRNA Tech Biz as Sanofi Inks $700m Alliance". In-Pharma Technologist. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
- Seiffert, Don (March 22, 2016). "The 9 fastest-growing biotech firms in the Bay State". Boston Business Journal.
- Stanton, Dan (February 17, 2016). "Alnylam Lays Down Plans for Commercial RNAi Manufacturing Plant". In-Pharma Technologist. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
- Weisman, Robert (February 11, 2016). "Alnylam Buys Norton Site for $200M Drug Manufacturing Plant". Boston Globe. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
- Adams, Ben (October 6, 2016). "Alnylam plunges after deaths force it to pull PhIII blockbuster candidate revusiran". FierceBiotech.
- "After 18 Deaths in Phase III, Alnylam Halts Revusiran Development". Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News. October 6, 2016.
- "Alnylam Taps Former Sanofi CEO Olivier Brandicourt for Board of Directors". BioSpace. Retrieved 2020-02-28.
- "Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc". BioCentury. Retrieved September 22, 2016.