CAMP4, Alnylam partner to identify rare liver disease genetic targets

CAMP4 Therapeutics and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals announced a collaboration designed to identify new medication targets of an undisclosed rare liver disease with significant unmet need, according to a press release.

“We are excited to partner with Alnylam given its leadership in the RNAi and liver disease space and our companies’ shared commitment to advancing new medicines to address critical unmet patient needs,” Josh Mandel-Brehm, CEO of CAMP4, said in the release.

CAMP4 will lead activities focused on predicting and validating disease-modifying targets in signaling pathways, while Alnylam will lead in vivo proof-of-concept activities and may elect a target for RNAi therapy development.

“CAMP4’s Gene Circuitry Platform provides an innovative approach to target identification and is in line with Alnylam’s strategy to fuel its [research and design] engine ensuring sustainable growth,” Kevin Fitzgerald, PhD, senior vice president of research at Alnylam, said in the release. “We welcome this collaboration and are excited for its potential to yield targets implicated in disease settings for which RNAi can be of therapeutic value.”

CAMP4 plans to use its proprietary Gene Circuitry Platform, starting in the liver, to rapidly identify the most effective targets to control gene expression in diseases with core pathology based around hepatocytes.

“Our conviction is that there is a better way to approach drug development that starts with understanding the mechanisms behind the Cellular Operating System for each primary cell type, which will enable us to ultimately reshape the odds of successfully developing new treatments,” Iris Grossman, PhD, chief scientific officer at CAMP4, added in the release. “By elucidating which pathways are most significant in controlling gene expression, for any gene of interest across the human body, we intend to open up the possibility for industry to develop effective treatment options for many hard-to-treat diseases, with the ambitious goal of leaving no patient behind.”

Reference: www.camp4tx.com