Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and PeptiDream, Inc. announced a license and collaboration agreement to discover and develop peptide-siRNA conjugates to create multiple opportunities to deliver RNAi therapeutics to tissues outside the liver. Through this collaboration, the companies will collaborate to select and optimize peptides for targeted delivery of small interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules to a wide range of cell types and tissues via specific interactions with receptors expressed on the target cells. Under the terms of the alliance, Alnylam will select a set of receptors for PeptiDream's peptide discovery platform.

PeptiDream will select, optimize, and synthesize peptides for each receptor. Alnylam will then generate peptide-siRNA conjugates and perform in vitro and in vivo studies to support final peptide selection. The collaboration has the potential to yield multiple treatment opportunities by targeting disease causing mRNA transcripts in a wide variety of tissue types.

Under the terms of the agreement, PeptiDream will receive an upfront payment from Alnylam as well as R&D funding over the term of the research collaboration, as provided in the agreement. PeptiDream may also receive payments based on the achievement of specified development, regulatory, and commercial milestones potentially totaling up to $2.2 billion (¥244 billion). In addition, PeptiDream is eligible to receive low-to-mid single digit royalties on sales on any such Alnylam products.