It's clear with the Amgen statements regarding siRNAs that they appear not only happy, but ecstatic with this new modality. This paper further strengthens their resolve at investigating siRNA as "an emerging" modality. Remember, they recently published excellent work on delivery to hepatocytes using a monoclonal antibody to bind ASGPR instead of GalNac, and it worked far better than expected. That result opens up many more tissues to RNAi drugs. Amgen is clearly highly interested in RNAi.
ARWR seems to have assembled the ideal portfolio for Amgen... Lp(a) is sold to Amgen already, but 2 powerhouse cardiovascular drugs ANG2 and APOC3 have been administered in PI, to which Anazalone has stated "we are on fire right now" and followed that up with "ANG3 will be a PCSK9 killer." I don't see a reason that Amgen would not want those targets, and it potentially is being laid out for a buyout from Amgen. Consider the only target sold off is HBV, which Amgen is not pursuing, it becomes a reasonable assumption that there is the potential for talks of greater importance, all the way through a full buyout where Amgen can bolt on RNAi.
-bio