Alnylam Pharmaceuticals

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the development and commercialization of therapeutic products based on RNA interference (RNAi) in the United States. The company is developing a pipeline of RNAi products using Direct RNAi to treat ocular, central nervous system, and respiratory diseases; and Systemic RNAi to treat a range of diseases, including oncology, metabolic, and autoimmune diseases. Its RNAi development programs are focused on an eye disease, known as age-relatedmacular degeneration; and on a lung infection caused by a virus, known as human respiratory syncytial virus. The company also has multiple preclinical programs in Direct RNAi focused on a central nervous system disorder, known as Parkinson's disease; spinal cord injury; and a genetic disease, known as cystic fibrosis. In addition, Alnylam offers nontherapeutic license agreements to life science reagent and service providers. The company has strategic alliances and research collaborations with Merck & Co., Inc.; Medtronic, Inc.; Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics, Inc.; Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; Novartis AG; and Mayo Clinic Jacksonville. Alnylam was founded by Phillip Sharp, Paul Schimmel, David Bartel, Thomas Tuschl, and Phillip Zamore in 2002. The company is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The meaning of the company name, Alnylam
According to the company website their name is a variant of the name of a star in the constellation Orion. The name of the center star of Orion's Belt is Alnilam.