News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts: Martin D. Williams, SVP & Chief Business Officer Dicerna Pharmaceuticals (617) 621-8097 Michele Rozen Pure Communications, Inc. (617) 730-8284 Dicerna Pharmaceuticals to Present at Upcoming Conferences WATERTOWN, Mass., June 8, 2011 Dicerna Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Dicerna), a second generation RNA interference (RNAi) company developing novel therapeutics utilizing its proprietary Dicer Substrate Technology and Dicer Substrate siRNA (DsiRNA) molecules, today announced that the company will be presenting at the following upcoming conferences: RNA 2011, 16th Annual Meeting of the RNA Society, being held June 14-18 at the Kyoto International Conference Center in Kyoto, Japan. John Rossi, Ph.D., Dicerna scientific cofounder and scientific advisory board chair, as well as professor in the department of molecular and cellular biology and dean, Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences at City of Hope's Beckman Research Institute, will give a presentation on Dicer Substrate siRNA conjugated to aptamers titled Dual function aptamer-siRNA conjugates as therapeutic agents at 2 p.m. on June 15. In addition, Roberto Guerciolini, M.D., Dicerna senior vice president, pharmaceutical development, will present a poster titled Second Generation Dicer Substrate RNAs (DsiRNAs) as Novel Therapeutics with Superior Potency and Duration of Action at 8:3010:30 p.m. on June 15. In his presentation, Dr. Guerciolini will describe novel DsiRNAbased therapeutics that utilize an earlier step in the gene silencing process, namely the engagement of enzyme Dicer, which is a natural initiation point of the RNAi cascade. Introduction of double-stranded, sequence-specific RNA templates that are substrate for Dicer action allows reduction of expression of a target gene in a highly selective and specific fashion. Compared to other RNAi approaches, this second generation RNAi strategy demonstrates greater potency and longer duration of action. Importantly, the extra length and unique properties of DsiRNAs provide excellent opportunities for targeted therapeutics using direct conjugation and novel formulation and delivery approaches. 2011 Boston Biotech CEO Conference, being held June 20-21 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Boston. Douglas M. Fambrough, Ph.D., Dicerna chief executive officer, will participate in the Small Cap Biotech panel discussion at 12:30 p.m. on June 21.

SMIs Conference on RNAi, siRNA & miRNA, being held June 27-28 at the Copthorne Tara Hotel in London. Dr. Rossi will give a presentation titled Small RNAs as triggers for epigenetic control of gene expression at 9:10 a.m. on June 28. In his presentation, Dr. Rossi will discuss small RNAs and regulation of gene expression in yeast and plants, transcriptional gene silencing triggered by small RNAs in mammals, transcriptional gene activation triggered by small RNAs in mammals, and possible mechanisms and roles for argonaute proteins. Dr. Rossi will also participate in the Epigentics in RNAi panel discussion at 9:30 a.m. on the same day.

2nd RNAi Research & Therapeutics Conference, presented by Global Technology Community (GTC), being held July 7-8 at the Hyatt at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. Sujit K. Basu, Ph.D., senior director, formulation, will give a presentation titled Target Knockdown in Tumor with Nanoparticle Dicer Substrate RNA (DsiRNA) Delivery System at 9:45 a.m. on July 7. In his presentation, Dr. Basu will describe Dicernas next generation RNAi approach strategy based on its leading-edge Dicer Substrate Technology platform and DsiRNA molecules. Dicerna has formulated DsiRNA payload in lipid nanoparticle delivery systems to achieve >80% knockdown in mouse liver and >50% knockdown in orthotopic Hep3B liver tumor model.

About Dicer Substrate RNAi Dicer is a critical enzyme involved in the RNAi gene silencing cascade and acts as the natural initiation point for this pathway by processing double-stranded RNA so that it can be used for gene silencing. Dicer then delivers these modified small RNA molecules to the mature gene silencing complex. Dicernas synthetic Dicer Substrate siRNA (DsiRNA) molecules are 25 or more base pairs in length and are processed by Dicer. By utilizing this distinct early entry point into the pathway, DsiRNA molecules have greater potency and longer duration of action than other RNAi approaches. In addition, DsiRNA molecules have enhanced delivery potential because their structure creates a natural conjugation point for cellular targeting agents. About Dicerna Dicerna Pharmaceuticals is a private, venture-backed RNAi-focused biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutic agents and related drug delivery systems in multiple disease areas based on its proprietary Dicer Substrate Technology platform and Dicer Substrate siRNA (DsiRNA) molecules. Dicer Substrate Technology is a second generation RNAi approach that results in greater potency, longer duration of action and enhanced delivery potential, differentiating it from other RNAi approaches. Dicerna believes that its Dicer Substrate Technology is based on intellectual property that is both broadly enabling and distinct from other IP in the field. Dicerna has a major alliance with Kyowa Hakko Kirin for DsiRNA pharmaceuticals and drug delivery systems focused in oncology, immunology and inflammation. The company also has a partnership with Ipsen to research and develop novel DsiRNA therapeutics with targeted delivery in oncology and endocrinology. Dicerna is based in Watertown, Massachusetts. For more information, please visit www.dicerna.com. ###