Alnylam Drives Innovation in ATTR-CM Care Through Strategic Collaboration with Viz.ai and Ongoing Support for the American Heart Association
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals is spearheading a comprehensive, system-wide initiative aimed at transforming the early detection and management of Transthyretin Amyloidosis Cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM), a progressive and life-threatening form of heart failure that remains significantly underdiagnosed worldwide. Through strategic collaborations with Viz.ai and the American Heart Association, the company is advancing a multifaceted approach designed to address long-standing gaps in diagnosis, care coordination, and patient outcomes.
ATTR-CM, which can arise in either wild-type or hereditary forms, is caused by the accumulation of misfolded transthyretin proteins in the heart, leading to stiffening of cardiac tissue and eventual heart failure. Despite growing awareness and therapeutic advancements, the disease is often recognized late in its course. Many patients experience years of symptoms before receiving an accurate diagnosis, significantly limiting their ability to benefit from timely treatment. Recognizing this critical challenge, Alnylam is focusing on shifting diagnosis earlier in the disease trajectory—an effort that could fundamentally alter patient outcomes and quality of life.
A central pillar of this initiative is Alnylam’s collaboration with Viz.ai, a leader in artificial intelligence-driven healthcare solutions. Together, the companies are developing an AI-enabled care pathway designed to identify patients with ATTR-CM earlier and streamline their journey through diagnosis and treatment. This pathway integrates advanced echocardiography-based AI tools, including algorithms capable of detecting subtle cardiac abnormalities, with electronic health record systems to provide clinicians with actionable insights in real time.
At the core of this effort is the AWARE (AI-Enhanced Echocardiography Workflow to Advance Recognition and Diagnosis of Cardiac Amyloidosis) study, a prospective, multi-center implementation study. The AWARE study is among the first of its kind to evaluate how AI-based screening tools can be embedded into routine clinical workflows in real-world healthcare settings. Its objectives include assessing whether such technologies can shorten diagnostic timelines, improve clinical decision-making, and enhance coordination among cardiology and heart failure care teams.
The study will initially be launched across five pilot health systems, representing diverse clinical environments. By generating real-world evidence, the initiative aims to demonstrate the practical feasibility and clinical value of integrating AI into everyday practice. Ultimately, the findings are expected to support broader adoption across the Viz.ai network, potentially impacting patient care at a national scale.
Healthcare leaders involved in the collaboration emphasize that delayed diagnosis remains one of the most significant barriers in ATTR-CM care. By embedding AI-driven detection tools directly into clinical workflows, the initiative seeks to bridge the gap between early clinical signals—such as subtle imaging findings—and timely, meaningful intervention. This approach is particularly important in a disease like ATTR-CM, where irreversible cardiac damage can occur before symptoms are fully recognized.
In parallel with its technology-focused efforts, Alnylam is also supporting a national initiative led by the American Heart Association to improve systems of care for patients with ATTR-CM. This three-year program brings together a cohort of ten multidisciplinary health systems in a collaborative learning environment. Participating centers will evaluate their current approaches to diagnosis, referral, treatment, and long-term management, identifying gaps and opportunities for improvement.
The goal of this initiative is to develop and scale best practices that can be replicated across healthcare systems. By fostering collaboration among clinicians, institutions, and care teams, the program aims to create a more integrated and patient-centered model of care. Insights generated through this effort will be shared nationally, helping to elevate standards of care and ensure that more patients receive timely and effective treatment.
Importantly, this systems-level approach complements the AI-driven diagnostic initiatives by addressing another critical challenge in ATTR-CM management: fragmented care. Even when patients are correctly diagnosed, they often face complex and disjointed care pathways that can delay treatment and reduce overall effectiveness. By improving coordination across specialties and care settings, Alnylam’s initiatives seek to ensure that patients not only receive an accurate diagnosis but also benefit from a seamless and efficient care experience.
These combined efforts reflect Alnylam’s broader vision of redefining how ATTR-CM is identified and managed. Rather than focusing solely on therapeutic innovation, the company is investing in the infrastructure and partnerships needed to transform the entire patient journey—from early detection to long-term care. This holistic approach recognizes that improving outcomes in complex diseases like ATTR-CM requires more than effective treatments; it requires systemic change.
By leveraging cutting-edge AI technologies, generating real-world clinical evidence, and fostering collaboration across the healthcare ecosystem, Alnylam is positioning itself at the forefront of efforts to address the unmet needs in ATTR-CM. The company’s initiatives aim to ensure that patients are diagnosed earlier, connected to appropriate care more quickly, and managed more effectively throughout the course of their disease.
As these programs progress, they have the potential to serve as a model for how innovation in technology and care delivery can be combined to tackle other underdiagnosed and complex conditions. For patients with ATTR-CM, these efforts represent a significant step forward—offering hope for earlier intervention, better coordinated care, and improved long-term outcomes.
About Transthyretin Amyloidosis (ATTR)
Transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR) is an underdiagnosed, rapidly progressive, debilitating and fatal disease caused by misfolded transthyretin (TTR) proteins, which accumulate as amyloid deposits in various parts of the body, including the nerves, heart, and gastrointestinal tract. Patients may present with polyneuropathy, cardiomyopathy, or both manifestations of disease. There are two different forms of ATTR – hereditary ATTR (hATTR), which is caused by a TTR gene variant, and wild-type ATTR (wtATTR), which occurs without a TTR gene variant. It is estimated that 350,000 people worldwide live with ATTR, although ~80% remain undiagnosed.
About RNAi
RNAi (RNA interference) is a natural cellular process of gene silencing that represents one of the most promising and rapidly advancing frontiers in biology and drug development today. Its discovery has been heralded as “a major scientific breakthrough that happens once every decade or so,” and was recognized with the award of the 2006 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine. By harnessing the natural biological process of RNAi occurring in our cells, a new class of medicines known as RNAi therapeutics is now a reality.
Small interfering RNA (siRNA), the molecules that mediate RNAi and comprise Alnylam’s RNAi therapeutic platform, function upstream of today’s medicines by potently silencing messenger RNA (mRNA) – the genetic precursors – that encode for disease-causing or disease pathway proteins, thus preventing them from being made. This is a revolutionary approach with the potential to transform the care of patients with genetic and other diseases.
About Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
Alnylam (Nasdaq: ALNY) is a leading global biopharmaceutical company and the pioneer of the RNA interference (RNAi) revolution. The Company is focused on developing transformative therapies with the potential to prevent, halt, or reverse disease. For more than two decades, Alnylam has advanced the Nobel-Prize-winning science of RNAi, delivering critical breakthroughs and six approved medicines. Alnylam has medicines available in more than 70 countries and a rapidly expanding and robust pipeline, in addition to consistently being recognized as an exceptional workplace and socially responsible organization. The Company is executing on its Alnylam 2030 strategy to accelerate innovation and scale impact to transform human health.
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