Alnylam co-founder Dr. Sharp to retire from board in May

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Alnylam Pharmaceuticals , Inc. (NASDAQ: NASDAQ:ALNY), a pioneer in RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics with a market capitalization of $31.45 billion and impressive revenue growth of 23% over the last twelve months, announced the upcoming retirement of co-founder Dr. Phillip A. Sharp (OTC:SHCAY) from its Board of Directors, effective May 8, 2025. According to InvestingPro analysis, the company maintains a strong financial position with a healthy current ratio of 2.78. Dr. Sharp, a Nobel laureate and a seminal figure in the field of biotechnology, has played a crucial role in guiding the company since its inception in 2002.

During his tenure, Dr. Sharp’s expertise has been instrumental in the development and growth of Alnylam, which now boasts an industry-leading gross profit margin of 85.62%. His contributions to the scientific community include the co-discovery of RNA splicing, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1993. InvestingPro subscribers can access detailed financial health scores and 10 additional exclusive ProTips about Alnylam’s performance and outlook. Dr. Sharp has also been honored with the National Medal of Science in 2004 and the AACR Award for Lifetime Achievement in Cancer Research in 2020.

Alnylam’s CEO, Yvonne Greenstreet, MBChB, and Chair of the Board, Amy W. Schulman, expressed their gratitude for Dr. Sharp’s vision and his impact on the company and the wider industry. Although stepping down from the board, Dr. Sharp will continue to serve on Alnylam’s Scientific Advisory Board.

RNAi has emerged as a groundbreaking scientific advancement, enabling the development of a new class of medicines that can silence disease-causing genes. Alnylam has been at the forefront of translating RNAi into innovative treatments for diseases with unmet medical needs. The company’s portfolio includes several commercial RNAi therapeutic products and a pipeline of investigational medicines in late-stage development.

The announcement of Dr. Sharp’s retirement comes as Alnylam continues to pursue its strategic vision, aiming to deliver transformative medicines and achieve a leading biotech profile. The company’s strong momentum is reflected in its impressive 62.3% stock return over the past year, with analysts projecting profitability in 2025. Dr. Sharp’s legacy includes not only his contributions to Alnylam but also his broader impact on biotechnology, as evidenced by his role in founding other companies, such as Biogen (NASDAQ:BIIB), and his service on numerous other biotech boards. For comprehensive analysis and detailed valuation metrics, investors can access the full Pro Research Report available exclusively on InvestingPro.

This transition marks the end of an era for Alnylam, as the company prepares to continue its mission without one of its original visionaries on the board. The information regarding Dr. Sharp’s retirement is based on a press release statement from Alnylam Pharmaceuticals.

In other recent news, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals has been the focus of several analyst updates following its Research and Development Day. H.C. Wainwright has reaffirmed its Buy rating and raised the price target to $500, citing the strong potential of Alnylam’s AMVUTTRA and nucresiran in treating transthyretin-mediated diseases. Piper Sandler also maintains an Overweight rating with a $304 target, anticipating significant sales growth with the expected approval of AMVUTTRA for ATTR-CM by the PDUFA date in March 2025. RBC Capital Markets reiterated its Outperform rating and $310 target, highlighting the strength of Alnylam’s research pipeline and the upcoming PDUFA date, which is expected to proceed without an Advisory Committee meeting.

Canaccord Genuity has slightly increased its price target to $385 and continues to hold a Buy rating, focusing on the potential label expansion of Amvuttra for ATTR-CM. Alnylam reported fourth-quarter earnings that aligned with previous projections, forecasting net product revenues between $2.05 billion and $2.25 billion for 2025. This guidance is supported by the anticipated launch of AMVUTTRA for ATTR amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy. The company plans to initiate Phase 3 trials for nucresiran and zilebesiran in the first half of 2025, and is also awaiting a PDUFA decision for Sanofi’s fitusiran by March 28, 2025. Alnylam aims to file multiple Investigational New Drug applications throughout the year, with over 25 clinical programs expected by the end of 2025.

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