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Dicerna Pharmaceuticals is a technology company.
Dicerna Pharmaceuticals develops RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics, leveraging its proprietary GalXC™ and GalXC-Plus™ platforms. These technologies precisely silence disease-causing genes by delivering RNAi molecules directly to target cells. This approach creates specific, durable treatments for genetic disorders, effectively inhibiting pathogenic protein production.
Founded in 2007 by Douglas Fambrough and Jim Jenson, Dicerna Pharmaceuticals aimed to advance RNA interference technology. Fambrough, a biotech veteran, and Jenson, a drug development expert, recognized the potential for next-generation gene-silencing therapies. Their insight was developing safer, more effective RNAi treatments, supported by scientific co-founders John Rossi, Ph.D., and Mark Behlke, M.D., Ph.D.
The company focuses on patients with rare genetic diseases lacking adequate treatment. Dicerna's pipeline targets primary hyperoxaluria and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, addressing fundamental genetic causes. Dicerna Pharmaceuticals envisions its RNAi technologies delivering precise, impactful solutions, improving lives for those with underserved medical needs.
Dicerna Pharmaceuticals has raised $89.0M across 3 funding rounds.
Dicerna Pharmaceuticals has raised $89.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Dicerna Pharmaceuticals has raised $89.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Dicerna Pharmaceuticals's investors include Peter Kolchinsky, Domain Associates, Morgenthaler Ventures, Piva Capital, RA Capital, Ted Driscoll, Abingworth, Brookside Capital, Deerfield Management, Omega Funds, Oxford Bioscience Partners, Skyline Ventures.
# Dicerna Pharmaceuticals: A Biopharmaceutical Company, Not a Technology Company
Dicerna Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company, not a technology company. While it employs proprietary RNA interference (RNAi) technology as its core platform, the company's primary business is the discovery, development, and commercialization of therapeutic drugs rather than the development or licensing of technology itself.[1]
Dicerna is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing RNA interference-based medicines for diseases involving the liver and related therapeutic areas.[1][3] The company uses its proprietary GalXC RNAi platform to create treatments for rare genetic diseases, cardiometabolic conditions, viral infections, chronic liver diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders.[1] Rather than selling technology, Dicerna develops and commercializes pharmaceutical products designed to treat patients—making it fundamentally a drug development company that happens to leverage advanced technology as its scientific foundation.
The company serves patients with rare and serious conditions, addressing significant unmet medical needs in hepatic and metabolic diseases. Its business model centers on advancing drug candidates through clinical trials toward regulatory approval and commercialization, with partnerships from major pharmaceutical companies including Novo Nordisk (its parent company as of December 2021), Roche, Eli Lilly, and Boehringer Ingelheim.[1]
Dicerna was incorporated in 2006 and was originally named Oncorna Pharmaceuticals before changing its name to Dicerna Pharmaceuticals on April 19, 2007.[1] The company is based in Lexington, Massachusetts, with additional offices in Boulder, Colorado.[1] As of December 28, 2021, Dicerna operates as a subsidiary of Novo Nordisk A/S, a major pharmaceutical company, which reflects the company's evolution from an independent biotech firm into part of a larger pharmaceutical organization.[1]
Dicerna operates within the RNA interference therapeutics sector, a growing area of precision medicine that leverages molecular biology to treat genetic and acquired diseases. The company is riding the trend of increased investment in rare disease treatments, where unmet medical needs are substantial and regulatory pathways can be more efficient. Its focus on liver diseases aligns with emerging recognition that hepatic conditions represent a major public health challenge.[3] By developing RNAi-based therapies, Dicerna contributes to a broader shift toward gene-silencing approaches as viable alternatives to traditional small-molecule and biologic drugs.
As a Novo Nordisk subsidiary, Dicerna benefits from the resources and distribution networks of a major pharmaceutical company while maintaining its specialized focus on RNAi therapeutics. The company's future trajectory depends on advancing its clinical candidates through regulatory approval and demonstrating clinical efficacy in rare liver diseases. Success in this space could validate RNAi as a mainstream therapeutic modality and expand the addressable market for gene-silencing approaches. The convergence of rare disease focus, advanced technology, and strategic partnerships positions Dicerna to influence how precision medicine approaches rare hepatic conditions over the coming decade.
Dicerna Pharmaceuticals has raised $89.0M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $60.0M Series C in July 2013.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 1, 2013 | $60.0M Series C | Peter Kolchinsky | Domain Associates, Morgenthaler Ventures, Piva Capital, RA Capital, Ted Driscoll, Abingworth, Brookside Capital, Deerfield Management, Omega Funds, Oxford Bioscience Partners, Skyline Ventures, SR One |
| Oct 21, 2010 | $4.0M Series B Extension | Abingworth, Domain Associates, Oxford Bioscience Partners, Skyline Ventures, Brian Gallagher, Jr. | |
| Aug 11, 2010 | $25.0M Series B | Brian Halak | Abingworth, Oxford Bioscience Partners, Skyline Ventures |