INTERVIEW: Silence Therapeutics To Avoid Patent Fights

Biotechnology company Silence Therapeutics PLC (SLN.LN) Wednesday said it will resist spending time and money on costly court challenges over patents in the fledgling field of RNA interference, and will instead focus on developing its newly-expanded technology and sealing new partnership deals.

Chief Executive Officer Phil Haworth, who took over at Silence's helm following its December merger with U.S. peer Intradigm Corp., told Dow Jones Newswires that Silence won't be engaging in patent scuffles with bigger rivals like Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ALNY)--if it can help it--because it is "a distraction from the business."

He said the company's goals for 2010 will be completing the integration of the two businesses and developing new delivery systems for potential RNA interference-based drugs based on Silence's and Intradigm's formerly competing technologies.

It is also aiming to negotiate at least one new partnership with a pharmaceutical company, according to a corporate presentation shown to investors. Silence has research deals with AstraZeneca PLC (AZN.LN) and Japan's Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Co. Ltd. (4506.TO).

RNA interference is an experimental branch of medicine that involves shutting off or silencing genes involved in disease by disrupting RNA "messages" in cells.

The technology is still in its infancy and no medicines have yet been developed, although a handful are in clinical testing by companies including Alnylam and Quark Pharmaceuticals Inc. (QURK).

Several of the companies involved, including Silence, have accused others of violating their patents or have sought to reduce the scope of their rivals'.

Haworth said these skirmishes, which he expects to continue, aren't helping the nascent industry.

Company Web site: www.silence-therapeutics.com

-By Jason Douglas, Dow Jones Newswires; 44-20-7842-9272; jason.douglas@dowjones.com

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