Genesis and Alnylam Expand Partnership to Commercialize RNAi Therapeutics for Nordic Region

Editor’s Take: This strategic expansion brings innovative therapeutics to areas with significant unmet medical needs.

Genesis Pharma and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals are expanding a longstanding commercial partnership to bring RNAi therapeutics to the Nordic region.

This adds Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden to 13 markets already covered by the partnership in Southeast Europe. These are Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Malta, and Kosovo.

The expansion tasks Genesis Pharma with commercializing a portfolio of RNAi therapeutics for serious cardiomyopathy conditions and rare genetic diseases.

What is RNAi?

RNAi, or RNA interference, is a natural cellular process of gene silencing. It is a promising, rapidly advancing technique in biology and drug development, awarded the 2006 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine.

RNAi therapeutics, consequently, harness biological processes of RNAi naturally occurring in human cells. Alnylam’s RNAi therapeutic platform is comprised of small interfering RNA (siRNA), the molecules that mediate RNAi. These function upstream of available medicines by their potent silencing of messenger RNA (mRNA). When the production of genetic precursors such as mRNA is prevented, encoding for disease-causing or disease pathway proteins is halted.

Alnylam calls this a revolutionary approach.

“Our commitment is to deliver transformational impact for patients,” Norton Oliveira, Alnylam SVP/Head of Partner and Emerging Markets, said. “By working alongside Genesis Pharma, we can continue to address the needs of even more patients and their families.”

Genesis, Alnylam Anticipate Nordic Expansion

“We have been working closely with Alnylam to ensure patient access across Southeast Europe,” Constantinos Evripides, Genesis Managing Director, said. “Expansion in the Nordic countries marks a significant milestone in our partnership, [reflecting] ongoing efforts to strengthen our European footprint.”

Both companies say they share a commitment to improving patient access to therapies in regions with significant unmet medical needs.