In a bid to bolster its rare disease portfolio, Agios Pharmaceuticals has entered into an exclusive worldwide license agreement with Alnylam Pharmaceuticals for the development and commercialisation of RNA interference (siRNA) therapeutics for the treatment of the rare haematologic disease, polycythemia vera (PV). Through this agreement, which could be worth up to US$147.5 M, Agios will acquire the rights to develop and commercialise Alnylam’s preclinical siRNA targeting TMPRSS6 as a potential disease-modifying treatment for patients with PV. This agreement brings together Alnylam's siRNA platform with Agio’s expertise in rare haematologic illnesses.