NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) - Alnylam Pharmaceuticals has amended its two RNAi collaboration agreements with Merck and consolidated them into a single collaboration, Alnylam said today.
The amendments focus on the nine new therapeutic targets that Merck will name at a later date. These new programs are in addition to the existing collaboration on NOGO pathway for spinal cord injury treatments.
Under the revised terms, Alnylam will identify three of the nine new programs as joint development programs. Merck will co-fund and participate in the joint programs, providing Alnylam with accelerated R&D funding for its efforts.
Alnylam will have the right to co-promote RNAi therapeutic products developed in the joint programs in the US.
Merck will assume primary responsibility for the remaining six programs. Alnylam will receive milestone payments and royalties of over $120 million on products developed and commercialized from those programs.
Alnylam and Merck will not jointly advance their July 2004 Ocular Disease alliance, the company said. Alnylam will retain all rights to ALN-VEG01.