Sanofi ends option phase of rare disease partnership with Alnylam

The companies announced that Sanofi will keep global commercialisation rights for fitusiran, an RNAi therapeutic under development for hemophilia A and B and  that Alynam will keep commercialisation rights to its ATTR amyloidosis treatments patisiran and vutrisiran (ALN-TTRsc02) as announced in January 2018. Furthermore, Alnylam will develop a preclinical undisclosed rare disease asset upon IND while Sanofi will be responsible for its further development and commercialisation. If the product is approved, Alnylam will be eligible to receive tiered double-digit royalties on its global net sales. Futhermore, the companies agreed to change the terms of Sanofi-Genzyme’s previous US$700m equity investment into Alnylam so that Sanofi can get access to its lock-up of Alnylam stock holdings.

 "Our alliance with Alnylam has successfully brought one important medicine to patients with ATTR amyloidosis and it also has spawned a molecule that is in pivotal clinical trials for people with hemophilia," said John Reed, Global Head of R&D at Sanofi. "As we wrap up this phase of our program with Alnylam, we remain committed to advancing therapies for patients with rare diseases and rare blood disorders." 

Under the 2014 agreement, Sanofi’s rare disease unit Genzyme obtained expanded commercialisation rights to patisiran. Additionally, Genzyme obtained the commercialisation rights to three pipeline products of Alnylam and an option to develop and commercialise all rare disease candidates from Alnylam’s pipeline. In 2018, the agreement was restructured.