AbbVie and ADARx Partner to Advance Next-Generation siRNA Therapies Across Neuroscience, Immunology, and Oncology in Multibillion-Dollar Collaboration
AbbVie, a global biopharmaceutical leader known for its portfolio of therapies in immunology, oncology, neuroscience, and other specialty areas, has announced a significant strategic collaboration and license option agreement with ADARx Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage biotechnology company specializing in RNA-based therapeutics. The agreement is aimed at advancing the development of small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapies targeting a range of serious and difficult-to-treat diseases, including those in neuroscience, immunology, and oncology.
The partnership brings together the complementary strengths of both companies: ADARx’s innovative platform for next-generation RNA therapeutics and AbbVie’s deep experience in biologics, drug conjugates, and targeted delivery systems. This alliance is set to harness siRNA technology’s potential as a therapeutic modality capable of modulating gene expression in a precise and durable manner.
Targeting the Root Cause: The Promise of siRNA
At the heart of this collaboration is the therapeutic promise of siRNA—a class of double-stranded RNA molecules capable of silencing genes responsible for disease. Unlike conventional therapies such as monoclonal antibodies or small molecule inhibitors, siRNA therapies operate at the genetic level. They inhibit the production of harmful proteins by targeting the messenger RNA (mRNA) that carries the genetic instructions for protein synthesis. By intercepting mRNA before it is translated into protein, siRNA therapies can selectively turn off disease-causing genes, offering a potentially transformative approach to treatment.
The therapeutic potential of siRNA has long been recognized, but several barriers have historically hindered its full clinical application—chief among them being challenges in targeted delivery, stability, and safety. ADARx’s proprietary platform aims to address these challenges through advanced molecular engineering and innovative delivery solutions designed to optimize the pharmacological properties of siRNA molecules. Their technology enables sustained and specific mRNA silencing, which could result in improved efficacy and dosing regimens with fewer off-target effects.
Complementary Expertise: A Synergistic Collaboration
Under the new agreement, AbbVie and ADARx will jointly explore multiple therapeutic targets. The collaboration will tap into ADARx’s RNA discovery capabilities and its proprietary siRNA platform, while AbbVie will contribute its extensive capabilities in biologics engineering, including expertise in monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), and precision delivery techniques. By integrating these complementary strengths, the two companies aim to overcome historical barriers to siRNA efficacy and bring a new class of medicines to patients across a wide array of diseases.
Jonathon Sedgwick, Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Global Head of Discovery Research at AbbVie, emphasized the significance of this partnership in expanding the company’s therapeutic toolkit. “siRNA is a promising genetic medicine approach for silencing disease-causing genes, but challenges still remain in targeting and delivering siRNA effectively,” said Sedgwick. “We are very pleased to collaborate with ADARx, leveraging their proprietary RNA technology alongside our antibody, ADC, and therapeutic area research and development expertise to bring siRNA forward as a potential novel therapeutic modality alongside our other established approaches. Together, we’re committed to developing innovative solutions for difficult-to-treat diseases across neuroscience, immunology and oncology.”
From ADARx’s perspective, the partnership marks a major validation of its RNA platform and the progress it has made in advancing RNA interference as a viable therapeutic approach. Zhen Li, Ph.D., co-founder, president, and chief executive officer of ADARx, expressed optimism about the partnership’s impact and the broader applicability of their technology. “This collaboration with AbbVie further validates the differentiated RNA technology that we have developed at ADARx and has the potential to unlock tremendous clinical and commercial potential across multiple disease areas,” said Li. “AbbVie’s research and development expertise combined with its global commercial reach make them the ideal strategic collaborator to accelerate these programs for the potential benefit of patients worldwide.”
Li also noted that while the collaboration represents a major focus for the company, ADARx remains committed to independently advancing its internal pipeline. The biotech’s wholly-owned clinical-stage programs span a broad spectrum of diseases including complement-mediated disorders, cardiovascular and thrombotic diseases. In addition to these clinical efforts, ADARx is also actively advancing preclinical discovery programs in areas such as obesity and neurodegeneration—further illustrating the broad potential application of its siRNA platform.
A Multibillion-Dollar Deal with Global Impact
Financially, the agreement underscores the high stakes and high expectations surrounding RNA-based therapeutics. As part of the deal, AbbVie will make an upfront payment of $335 million to ADARx. In addition to this initial investment, the biotech stands to receive several billion dollars in future payments contingent on the achievement of development, regulatory, and commercial milestones, as well as option-related fees. The agreement also includes tiered royalty payments on any future product sales arising from the collaboration, potentially providing ADARx with a long-term revenue stream.
These terms reflect a growing trend in the biopharmaceutical industry, where larger companies are increasingly forming strategic partnerships with innovative biotech firms to access cutting-edge technology platforms. Such collaborations allow large firms like AbbVie to accelerate innovation, expand into new therapeutic modalities, and diversify their pipelines without having to develop foundational technologies in-house. For smaller biotechs like ADARx, these partnerships offer critical funding, infrastructure, and commercialization expertise to help bring their science from the lab to the clinic and eventually to patients.
The Broader Context: RNA Therapeutics on the Rise
The announcement comes at a time of renewed enthusiasm for RNA-based therapeutics. Over the past decade, advances in oligonucleotide chemistry, delivery systems, and manufacturing have helped overcome many of the early limitations of RNA therapeutics. The success of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated investment in RNA-based platforms. siRNA therapeutics, which work by degrading mRNA before it can be translated into protein, are now poised to be the next wave of RNA-based innovation.
Several siRNA therapies have already reached the market, with approvals in rare genetic diseases and chronic conditions such as hypercholesterolemia and hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis. However, the potential of siRNA to address more complex, high-prevalence diseases—particularly in oncology, neuroscience, and immunology—remains largely untapped. The AbbVie-ADARx alliance seeks to fill this gap by pursuing siRNA therapeutics that can modulate key drivers of disease across some of the most challenging therapeutic areas.
As the partnership between AbbVie and ADARx takes shape, the focus will be on collaborative target identification, preclinical development, and eventual clinical advancement of novel siRNA candidates. The companies have not yet disclosed specific targets or timelines, but given the breadth of the agreement and the size of the financial commitment, expectations are high for tangible progress in the coming years.
If successful, the collaboration could yield a new class of RNA therapeutics capable of addressing some of the most pressing unmet medical needs. By combining the precision of gene silencing with advanced delivery technologies and disease-specific expertise, the companies are betting on siRNA to become a cornerstone of next-generation medicine.
This alliance not only positions both companies at the forefront of RNA innovation but also signals the continued evolution of therapeutic development—from small molecules and biologics to programmable genetic medicines tailored to the molecular roots of disease.
