By Fineline Cube 
US-based pharma giant AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) has entered into a significant collaboration with ADARx Pharmaceuticals, paying $335 million upfront to secure options on next-generation small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapeutics across several disease areas. The agreement covers neuroscience, immunology and oncology and presents ADARx with the opportunity to receive “several billion dollars” in additional option-related fees and milestone payments, plus royalties, according to a May 14 release.
Combining Expertise
ADARx brings its siRNA technology and RNA discovery expertise to the table, while AbbVie’s work in antibody engineering, antibody-drug conjugates and tissue delivery approaches will complement ADARx’s discovery efforts. The deal is intended to accelerate siRNA as a potential new therapeutic modality alongside AbbVie’s other established approaches.
The Promise of siRNA
According to Jonathon Sedgwick, Ph.D., senior vice president and global head of discovery research, siRNA is a “promising genetic medicine approach for silencing disease-causing genes.” Sedgwick notes, however, that obstacles still remain in “targeting and delivering siRNA effectively.” siRNA works by preventing the production of disease-causing proteins by targeting the protein’s respective messenger RNA.
ADARx’s Perspective
According to ADARx CEO and co-founder Zhen Li, Ph.D., AbbVie is the “ideal strategic partner” due to its R&D capabilities and global commercial reach. Together, the two companies aim to unlock “tremendous clinical and commercial potential across multiple disease areas.”
ADARx’s Pipeline
Outside of this collaboration, ADARx has a pipeline of wholly owned clinical and preclinical siRNA-based candidates targeting the liver, central nervous system and body fat. These span potential indications such as geographic atrophy, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, obesity and neurodegeneration. ADX-324, the company’s most advanced candidate, is set for a phase 3 trial in hereditary angioedema.-Fineline Info & Tech