Originally doing business as ISIS Pharmaceuticals, Inc., in December 2015 the firm changed its name and symbol to Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS). The firm is engaged in the discovery and development of a new class of drugs based on antisense technology - a novel a RNA-targeted drug discovery platform focused on treating cardiovascular, metabolic and severe neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer for systemic, local, and inhaled delivery. The company has commercialized antisense drugs and has a large number of other drugs in development. Focused on developing drugs for patients with severe and rare diseases, the firm markets KYNAMRO for the treatment of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. Drugs in Phase III development include volanesorsen for the treatment of patients with familial chylomicronemia syndrome and familial partial lipodystrophy; IONIS-TTRRx, a drug for the treatment of patients with various forms of TTR amyloidosis, including familial amyloid polyneuropathy, familial amyloid cardiomyopathy, and wild-type TTR amyloidosis; and nusinersen, a drug for the treatment of infants and children with spinal muscular atrophy. Ionis is also developing Custirsen, which is in two Phase III studies to treat cancer; and Plazomicin that is Phase III study for the treatment of severe bacterial infection. The firm's flagship product, Vitravene inhibits cells from producing disease-causing proteins, the drug treats cytomegalovirus retinitis, a cause of blindness in AIDS patients. Partner Novartis Ophthalmics (a unit of Novartis) sells the drug worldwide. Isis has other antisense-based drugs in various stages of development. Lead drug candidate Alicaforsen could help people suffering from ulcerative colitis, or inflammation of the colon. Other drug candidates target diabetes, elevated cholesterol levels, multiple sclerosis, and cancer. The firm has an extensive list of working relationships and collbaorations with major and mid-sized corporations. In 2008, Abbott acquired that part of Isis Pharmaceuticals' dba Ibis Biosciences
