Alnylam joins Alliance for Genomic Discovery genomic dataset

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ALNY) has joined the Alliance for Genomic Discovery, becoming the ninth member of the clinical genomic database initiative led by Illumina Inc. (NASDAQ: ILMN) and Nashville Biosciences LLC.

The RNA interference therapeutics company will utilize the AGD clinical genomic database to accelerate drug target discovery for its gene silencing medicines. Alnylam joins existing members AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Bristol Myers Squibb, GSK, Merck, and Novo Nordisk.

Alnylam's membership will enable additional investment to sequence and analyze 31,250 new whole-genomes, expanding the alliance's existing 250,000 whole-genome cohort. The company plans to use the dataset to identify therapeutic targets relevant to patients from diverse backgrounds.

"We rely on human genetics to guide us as we discover and develop RNAi therapeutics with the potential to change medicine," said Paul Nioi, senior vice president of Research at Alnylam. "The AGD dataset will bolster our ability to identify therapeutic targets that are relevant to patients from many different backgrounds."

The Alliance for Genomic Discovery completed a major milestone in March 2025, developing what it describes as a comprehensive clinical genomic dataset linking analyzed, ancestrally diverse genomic data with longitudinal clinical information. The alliance's sequencing pace has exceeded previous large-scale genomic efforts, which typically required three to five years to reach 100,000 sequenced genomes.

According to the announcement, the AGD dataset has already identified or validated novel therapeutic targets, particularly in autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases, with reports published or in development.

The alliance plans to add multiomic layers to its dataset and extract additional clinical information from electronic health records to accelerate therapeutic discovery and development.

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