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 In October, 2007, the 2007 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to two American scientists and one British scientist for their discovery of target gene “knock-out”, one of consequence of cell by RNAi, making solid foundation for treatment of human disease by means of RNAi.
On July 9, 2007, Roche Holding AG announced the signing of cooperation agreement valued at USD $1 billion dollars with Alnyam (Nasdaq : ALAN). The two companies will jointly develop drugs based on RNAi technologies.
On July 6, 2007, the UK's second largest pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN) announced to pay USD $402.4 million to acquire the gene-silencing technologies of London-based Silence Therapeutics Company (ST).
On October 30, 2006, Merck paid USD$1.1 billion to acquire Sirna Company - (Sirna is a leading RNAi biotechnology company based in San Francisco).
On October 2, 2006, two American scientists who had discovered RNAi mechanism ---Andrew Z. Fire, professor of pathology and genetics from Stanford University School of Medicine and Craig C. Mello, professor of molecular medicine form University of Massachusetts Medical School won the Nobel Prize in Medicine.
On September 12, 2006, Acuity Pharmaceuticals Corporation publicized the Phase II clinical trials result of Bevasiranib sodium (Cand5) for Exudative Senile Macular Degeneration (AMD) treatment. Of 129 patients studied, Bevasiranib slowed the growth of blood vessels in the eyes and improved vision.
In May, 2006, Ambion sold its RNAi R&D group for USD$273 million to Applied Bio-systems.
In September, 2005, the Swiss drug giant Novartis Corporation (Novartis) paid USD$56.8 million to acquire a 20% stake in the Massachusetts-based Alnylam Company, and agreed to pay USD$700 million to use its RNAi technology platform to develop anti-influenza drugs.
In October, 2004, Cand5, for the treatment of Exudative Senile Macular Degeneration (AMD) developed by Acuity Pharmaceutical Company was granted by FDA to conduct human clinical trials, thereby becoming the first siRNA drug to enter the clinical research stage.
In 2002, Nature Magazine rated RNAi as the most important discovery. Science listed RNAi one of Top Ten Technologies of the Year.
In 1998, the American scientists Andrew Fire and Craig Mello published their discovery of RNAi mechanism.
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