New collaboration will focus on the development of drugs to treat CNS, eye and liver diseases.

Building on their existing partnership established in 2018 targeting the development of RNAi therapeutics for treatment of the chronic liver disease nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and potentially other related diseases, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals announced another collaboration –– this one focused on developing treatments for central nervous system, eye and liver diseases.

In this latest partnership, Regeneron paid Alnylam $800 up front in cash and an equity investment in the company. Anylam may also earn up to $200 million in near-term milestone payments. Regeneron will be responsible for development and commercialization of RNAi drugs for eye diseases, with Alnylam receiving milestone and royalty payments if any candidates are successful. Both companies will jointly develop CNS drugs, with each company alternating as the lead. For any drugs that are successful, the partner managing the project will retain global responsibility for development and commercialization.

The companies will also be working on the development of drugs for liver diseases, including the combination of Regeneron’s drug REGN3918 (pozelimab) with Alnylam’s cemdirsan, a project that Regeneron will lead.