Alnylam and Inex formed the collaboration in March 2006. The results to date encourage both parties to believe that Alnylam’s RNAi therapeutics can be efficiently encapsulated in Inex’s liposomes and effectively delivered to disease sites in animal models to carry out the desired effect of silencing the gene target.
“We are enthusiastic to be working with Alnylam on solutions for the systemic delivery of RNAi therapeutics,” said Timothy Ruane, president and CEO of Inex. “It is very gratifying to see such promising results after only a few months of working with Alnylam and we are pleased to enter the next phase of our collaboration ahead of schedule.”
As part of the collaboration, Alnylam has the option to take worldwide exclusive licenses to use Inex’s technology for RNAi therapeutics directed to specific gene targets.
In conjunction with the decision to accelerate the collaboration, Alnylam will make certain payments to Inex totaling approximately $1.9 million, $1 million of which relates to an option to take a broad exclusive license to Inex’s technology.