HQ Team
September 4, 2025: China’s Argo Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd., and Switzerland’s Novartis AG have inked a $5.2 billion pact to develop new medicines for cardiovascular disease using gene editing technologies.
The medicines will be developed using siRNA (small interfering RNA) — a tiny tool inside living cells that helps turn off or silence harmful genes.
It acts like a tiny switch that stops certain instructions in the genes from being read and used to make proteins, as turning off a gene can help prevent diseases or control how cells work.
Argo will receive an upfront payment of $160 million and is eligible to receive potential milestone and option payments of a combined potential value of up to $5.2 billion, as well as tiered royalties on commercial sales, according to an Argo statement.
‘Additional molecules’
Novartis has expressed its non-binding intention to participate in Argo’s next round of equity financing.
“Long-acting siRNAs, which are designed to deeply and durably target disease-causing proteins, represent an important paradigm shift in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases,” said Dr Shaun Coughlin, Global Head of Cardiovascular and Metabolism at Novartis Biomedical Research.
“We are excited to build on our work with Argo through these new agreements, which include additional molecules.”
RNA interference (RNAi) works by using special small RNA molecules that find and destroy the messages (called mRNA) emanating from genes.
Without these messages, the cell cannot make the proteins that the gene codes for, so the gene is effectively turned off or “silenced.” This process helps protect the body from viruses. Scientists also use RNAi to study genes and develop new medicines.
One-third of deaths
In January 2024, Novartis signed two RNAi agreements with Argo for investigational cardiovascular therapies. Those deals totalled $185 million upfront plus up to $4.165 billion in milestones.
Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. In 2021, 20.5 million people died from a cardiovascular condition, around one-third of all global deaths.
siRNA therapeutics have the potential for enhanced therapeutic applicability with differentiated efficacy and dosing profile, potentially improving patient outcomes and adherence, according to Argo.
