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www.fdanews.com/articles/80849-alnylam-and-isis-license-intellectual-property-for-microrna-gene-involved-in-hepatitis-c-virus-infection

ALNYLAM AND ISIS LICENSE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY FOR MICRORNA GENE INVOLVED IN HEPATITIS C VIRUS INFECTION

September 13, 2005

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALNY) and Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ISIS) announced today a co-exclusive license agreement with Stanford University related to the discovery and development of therapeutic products for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection by inhibiting a liver-specific microRNA. Data published on September 2, 2005 by Jopling et al. in the journal Science demonstrate that the microRNA known as miR-122 is required for HCV replication in mammalian cells. This study is the first to link endogenous expression of a specific microRNA with a major infectious disease, and suggests that antagonism of miR-122 may comprise a novel therapeutic strategy against HCV.

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