Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infects nearly every child by the age of two years and typically results in cold-like symptoms; however, it may lead to lower respiratory tract infections or respiratory failure. Children born prematurely or with pulmonary, cardiac and immune deficiencies are at the highest risk for severe RSV infection that can result in hospitalization, morbidity and even death.
Alnylam will implement its Direct RNAi technology to treat RSV infection by targeting key viral genes at the site of infection.
The new program is based in part on research which demonstrated that RSV infection could be prevented and treated with high potency in an animal model by intranasal administration of short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), the molecules that induce RNAi.
“We are excited to initiate this new program in RSV disease, ” said John Maraganore, president and CEO of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals. “We plan to move forward aggressively to develop a novel treatment for RSV infection, present additional in vivo data at upcoming scientific meetings and initiate clinical trials in the first half of 2006.”
The RSV therapeutic program is the second therapeutic development program announced by Alnylam, the first being the age-related macular degeneration program Alnylam is conducting in collaboration with Merck & Co.
Both programs aim to develop Direct RNAi products, which are RNAi therapeutics that will be administered directly at sites of diseases, such as the lung, eye or the brain. In addition, Alnylam has a number of earlier-stage pre-clinical programs including a program in Parkinson’s disease and additional programs as part of its collaborations with Merck.
In connection with its new RSV program, Alnylam has completed a licensing agreement with the University of South Alabama that provides Alnylam with an exclusive license to certain intellectual property stemming from the work of Dr Sailen Barik, professor in the department of biochemistry at the University of South Alabama, College of Medicine. The license covers RNAi compositions and methods of treating pulmonary viral infections with siRNAs.