Jan. 9 at 12:41 AM
$SLN In the world of siRNA, there is a Holy Grail of chemistry: how to attach the targeting sugar (GalNAc) to the drug so it stays stable in the blood but releases perfectly inside the cell.
• The Secret: Silence owns the patent on a specific "versatile linker chemistry" that is arguably the most efficient in the world.
• The Trap: Alnylam and Arrowhead have their own linkers, but as the industry moves toward "extra-hepatic" (non-liver) delivery, they are finding that Silence’s linkers are often the only ones that work without causing toxicity or losing potency.
• The Revenue Trigger: This is why Alnylam is already paying Silence a royalty on Onpattro sales in the EU. It wasn't a choice; it was a toll they had to pay to keep their drug on the market. Big Pharma would rather buy the Toll Booth (Silence) than pay the toll for the next 15 years.
