IP vs. Know-How: in RNAi, the Battle Is Joined

Which is better: patents on the fundamental science for creating a new class of drugs--or the know-how for making drugs based on the idea? In one of the few bright areas of discovery-based biotech, RNA interference (RNAi), the battle between the two philosophical positions has been joined as an investor group has beaten Alnylam, the IP leader in RNAi, to the control of Ribozyme Pharmaceutical's RNA chemistry know-how.