Shares of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALNY) fell 6% after AstraZeneca reported the failure of a Phase 3 trial for an experimental silencer drug targeting ATTR-CM, raising concerns about the treatment approach.
AstraZeneca said on Friday that its trial found no improvement among patients receiving the silencer drug who were already taking a stabiliser drug, according to STAT News. The result was significant enough to cause the entire Phase 3 study to fail.
Most patients enrolled in the trial were already taking a stabiliser at the beginning of the study.
The findings have raised broader questions about silencer drugs as pharmaceutical companies compete for market share in the ATTR-CM treatment market, which is expected to be worth billions of dollars.
ATTR-CM is a progressive heart condition, and the failed trial adds uncertainty for companies developing silencer drugs for the disease.
