Alnylam Grants MWG Biotech License to Fundamental RNAi Patents for Applications in the Research Products Market

"This agreement with MWG, an international genomic solutionprovider, continues to highlight the value of the Alnylam-ownedKreutzer-Limmer patent family as a critical component of fundamentalintellectual property in the field of RNAi," said Vincent Miles,Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Business Development of AlnylamPharmaceuticals. "By leveraging our portfolio of leading IP, we arecreating value today and for the future by amassing an increasingnumber of license agreements with leading reagent and serviceproviders. To date, fourteen companies have taken licenses fortherapeutic or research product applications, including eight researchproduct suppliers."

"This license strengthens our siRNA offering and is part of ourcommitment to build a high quality presence in siRNA design andproduction," said Dr. Wolfgang Pieken, CEO of MWG Biotech AG.

About RNA Interference (RNAi)

RNA interference, or RNAi, is a naturally occurring mechanismwithin cells for selectively silencing and regulating specific genes.Since many diseases are caused by the inappropriate activity ofspecific genes, the ability to silence and regulate such genesselectively through RNAi could provide a means to treat a wide rangeof human diseases. The discovery of RNAi has been heralded by many asa major breakthrough, and the journal Science named RNAi the topscientific achievement of 2002, as well as one of the top 10scientific advances of 2003.

About Alnylam

Alnylam is a biopharmaceutical company seeking to develop andcommercialize novel therapeutics based on RNA interference, or RNAi.Growing from its foundation as the world's first company focused onRNAi therapeutics, the company's leadership in the field of RNAi issupported by its preeminent founders and advisors and its strengths infundamental patents, technology, and know-how that underlie thecommercialization of RNAi therapeutics. Alnylam is developing apipeline of RNAi products using Direct RNAi(TM) to treat ocular,central nervous system, and respiratory diseases and Systemic RNAi(TM)to treat a broad range of diseases, including oncology, metabolic, andautoimmune diseases. The company's global headquarters are inCambridge, Massachusetts. For additional information, please visitwww.alnylam.com.

About MWG Biotech AG

MWG Biotech AG (www.mwg-biotech.com) is an international providerof DNA sequencing and DNA/siRNA synthesis products and services foracademic and industrial research from production sites in Germany, theUS, and India. With strong customer orientation, fast service and highquality products the company creates the platform for success in thelife sciences today and for a better life tomorrow. In its siRNAportfolio the company offers, in addition to a range of siRNAproducts, a series of advance siRNA design tools and other siRNAservices.

Alnylam Forward-Looking Statements

Various statements in this release concerning our futureexpectations, plans, prospects and future operating results constituteforward-looking statements for the purposes of the safe harborprovisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by theseforward-looking statements as a result of various important factors,including risks related to: our approach to discover and develop noveldrugs, which is unproven and may never lead to marketable products;our ability to obtain additional funding to support our businessactivities; our dependence on third parties for development,manufacture, marketing, sales and distribution of our products; thesuccessful development of products, all of which are in early stagesof development; obtaining regulatory approval for products;competition from others using technology similar to ours and othersdeveloping products for similar uses; obtaining, maintaining andprotecting intellectual property utilized by our products; and ourshort operating history; as well as those risks more fully discussedin the "Certain Factors That May Affect Future Results" section of ourmost recent Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and ExchangeCommission. In addition, any forward-looking statements represent ourviews only as of today and should not be relied upon as representingour views as of any subsequent date. We do not assume any obligationto update any forward-looking statements.