AbbVie Makes Major Move into RNA Interference with $335M ADARx Deal

AbbVie has significantly expanded its presence in the RNA interference (RNAi) space through a collaboration and license option agreement with ADARx Pharmaceuticals. The deal, announced on May 14, 2025, involves an upfront payment of $335 million from AbbVie to ADARx, with the potential for additional payments reaching "several billion dollars" in option-related fees and milestone payments.

Strategic Partnership Aims to Advance RNAi Therapeutics

The collaboration between AbbVie and ADARx will focus on developing RNAi-based medicines for a variety of disease areas, including neuroscience, immunology, and oncology. ADARx will contribute its siRNA technology and RNA discovery expertise, while AbbVie will provide its capabilities in antibody engineering, antibody-drug conjugates, and tissue delivery approaches.

Jonathon Sedgwick, AbbVie's senior vice president and global head of discovery research, highlighted the promise of RNAi as a genetic medicine approach for silencing disease-causing genes. However, he also noted the ongoing challenges in targeting and delivering siRNA effectively, emphasizing the importance of this collaboration in addressing these obstacles.

Expanding Reach in Genetic Medicine

This partnership marks AbbVie's latest move to strengthen its position in genetic medicine, following its $1.4 billion acquisition of Aliada Therapeutics in October 2024. The Aliada deal focused on central nervous system disorders, particularly an antibody for Alzheimer's disease.

ADARx brings to the table a pipeline of clinical-stage medicines for complement-mediated, cardiovascular, and thrombotic diseases. The company's most advanced candidate, ADX-324, is approaching Phase III testing for hereditary angioedema. Additionally, ADARx is pursuing programs in obesity and neurodegeneration.

Industry-wide Interest in siRNA Technology

The AbbVie-ADARx deal reflects a growing industry trend towards siRNA therapeutics. Other recent developments in this space include:

• GSK's acquisition of Boston Pharmaceuticals' efimosfermin alfa, with plans to combine it with GSK's siRNA therapy GSK'990.
• Eli Lilly's announcement in March that its siRNA therapy lepodisiran reduced lipoprotein(a) levels by nearly 94% in patients at risk of cardiovascular events.
• Boehringer Ingelheim's January 2024 deal with Suzhou Ribo Life Science and Ribocure Pharmaceuticals, worth up to $2 billion, to develop siRNA-based treatments for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.

As pharmaceutical companies continue to invest heavily in RNAi technology, the field is poised for significant advancements in the coming years, potentially offering new treatment options for a wide range of diseases.