Apolipoprotein C3 (APOC3) iRNA compositions and methods of use thereof

A double stranded RNAi agent capable of inhibiting the expression of apolipoprotein C3 (APOC3) in a cell, wherein said double stranded RNAi agent comprises a sense strand and an antisense strand forming a double stranded region, wherein said antisense strand comprises the nucleotide sequence of 5′-UUCUUGUCCAGCUUUAUUGGGAG-3′ (SEQ ID NO:234), wherein each strand is about 15 to about 30 nucleotides in length, wherein said double stranded RNAi agent is represented by formula (III):

• (III)
• sense:
• 5′ np-Na-(XXX)i-Nb-YYY-Nb-(ZZZ)j-Na-nq 3′
• antisense:
• 3′ np′-Na′-(X′X′X′)k-Nb′-Y′Y′Y′-Nb′-(Z′Z′Z′)1-
• Na′-nq′ 5′
• wherein:
• i, j, k, and 1 are each independently 0 or 1;
• p, p′, q, and q′ are each independently 0-6;
• each Na and Na′ independently represents an oligonucleotide sequence comprising 0-25 nucleotides which are either modified or unmodified or combinations thereof, each sequence comprising at least two differently modified nucleotides;
• each Nb and Nb′ independently represents an oligonucleotide sequence comprising 0-10 nucleotides which are either modified or unmodified or combinations thereof;
• each np, np′, nq, and nq′, each of which may or may not be present, independently represents an overhang nucleotide;
• XXX, YYY, ZZZ, X′X′X′, Y′Y′Y′, and Z′Z′Z′ each independently represent one motif of three identical modifications on three consecutive nucleotides;
• and
• wherein the sense strand is conjugated to at least one ligand.