Alnylam Commercial Chief Tolga Tanguler To Leave As Board Approves $1 Billion Buyback
The drugmaker anticipates spending approximately $500 million on repurchases by year-end, with the balance planned for 2027.
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, which develops medicines that silence genes behind disease-causing proteins, plans to buy back up to $1.0 billion of stock as its chief commercialization officer, Tolga Tanguler, prepares to leave in December 2026. The company announced Tanguler’s departure Wednesday and detailed the leadership change and repurchase authorization in a Thursday SEC filing.
Approximately $500 Million By Year-End
The board approved the buyback Monday. Alnylam anticipates spending approximately $500 million on its own shares by the end of 2026 and buying the remaining authorized amount during 2027.
The $1.0 billion authorization is permission to purchase shares, rather than a commitment to spend the full amount. Alnylam can change, pause or end the program at any point, and the authorization has no expiration date.
Actual spending and timing will depend on the stock price, business and market conditions, available cash, capital needs and competing investment opportunities. Purchases may take place on the open market, through privately negotiated deals or by other methods, including pre-scheduled trading plans.
A Departure Across A Drug Portfolio
Tanguler serves as executive vice president and chief commercialization officer. He and Alnylam intend to put the terms of his departure into a written agreement by his separation date.
Alnylam’s commercial business rests on RNA interference, a natural cellular process that switches off genes responsible for disease-causing proteins. Its own marketed medicines include AMVUTTRA and ONPATTRO for transthyretin amyloidosis, GIVLAARI for acute hepatic porphyria and OXLUMO for primary hyperoxaluria type 1.
Partners commercialize two other approved treatments: Novartis sells the cholesterol medicine Leqvio, while Sanofi sells Qfitlia for hemophilia. Leqvio had approval in more than 100 countries at the end of December 2025.
Beyond those approved medicines, Alnylam has more than 20 clinical programs, several of them in late-stage development. The pipeline includes treatments being developed for hypertension and Alzheimer’s disease.
December brings the planned commercial leadership departure; Alnylam’s stated repurchase timetable extends through 2027, subject to its cash needs and other uses for capital.
Sources
- 8-K Filing — ALNYLAM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. (ALNY) — SEC EDGAR
- Alnylam seeks new commercial leader as Tolga Tanguler exits amid faltering Amvuttra trajectory | Fierce Pharma — fiercepharma.com
- Alnylam Pharmaceuticals authorizes $1B share repurchase program (ALNY:NASDAQ) | Seeking Alpha — seekingalpha.com
- Alnylam Announces $1 Billion Share Repurchase Program and Change in Commercial Leadership – Company Announcement - FT.com — Financial Times
