Alnylam Pharmaceuticals

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NYSE: ALNY), 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.

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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.