Kevin Fitzgerald on gene editing vs RNA therapeutics
From Ep169: Kevin Fitzgerald on the Past & Future of RNAi Medicines · · The Long Run with Luke Timmerman
“I do like drugs that have controllable pharmacology. With RNA approaches we can make drugs wear off or even provide an antidote if needed, whereas one‑and‑done editing is permanent — for many applications I prefer an option with controllable, reversible pharmacology.”
On , Kevin Fitzgerald, Executive Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer and Head of Early Research & Early Development at Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, spoke about gene editing vs RNA therapeutics during Ep169: Kevin Fitzgerald on the Past & Future of RNAi Medicines on The Long Run with Luke Timmerman.
About Kevin Fitzgerald
In a June 2024 podcast appearance, Kevin Fitzgerald discussed the evolution of RNA interference (RNAi) medicines at Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, where he has served as chief scientific officer since joining the company in 2005. He described the company's progress from early challenges in delivering RNA molecules into cells to having four FDA-approved medicines for rare diseases and a fifth drug, Leqvio, marketed by Novartis for lowering LDL cholesterol. Fitzgerald emphasized the potential of RNAi therapies for chronic conditions, noting that patients often stop taking daily pills for "silent diseases" and that Alnylam aims to develop treatments administered via injection once every six months to improve adherence. Fitzgerald also contrasted RNAi approaches with gene editing, stating that he prefers "controllable, reversible pharmacology" because RNA-based drugs can be designed to wear off or be counteracted with an antidote, whereas permanent gene editing is irreversible. He attributed his nearly two-decade tenure at Alnylam to the technology's continuous improvement and its expanding potential to treat both rare and common diseases.