Dr. Sekar Kathiresan, CEO of Verve Therapeutics, aims to revolutionize heart attack prevention through gene editing. Born into a family genetically predisposed to heart attacks, his journey unfolds in the pursuit of a breakthrough.
Early Inspiration and Challenges
Growing up in a family plagued by heart attacks, Sekar’s resolve to prevent cardiovascular disease led him from treating patients to delving into genetics. His groundbreaking research uncovered the limitations of traditional approaches, sparking a shift towards prevention.
Verve Therapeutics’ Inception
In 2018, Dr. Kathiresan co-founded Verve Therapeutics with a mission to permanently lower cholesterol, challenging conventional daily treatments. The company embarked on developing a single-dose gene-editing drug to target the liver gene responsible for elevated LDL cholesterol levels.
Clinical Trials and Setbacks
Verve faced initial setbacks in 2022, as the FDA raised concerns about permanently altering human DNA. However, after addressing regulatory queries, the FDA lifted the clinical hold in 2023, allowing the company to proceed. The release of early trial data generated market volatility due to perceived side effects and efficacy concerns.
Gene-Editing Technology
Verve utilizes base editing, a precise gene-editing technology, to switch off the PCSK9 gene in the liver. This disruption reduces the production of the PCSK9 protein, leading to lower LDL cholesterol levels and potential prevention of heart attacks.
Market Dynamics and Future Outlook
While analysts expressed reservations about efficacy and safety, Dr. Kathiresan emphasizes the durable impact of Verve’s treatment, citing sustained LDL cholesterol reduction even six months post-treatment. Verve, having raised significant funds, aims to launch its product by the end of the decade, anticipating a transformative impact on heart attack prevention.
Challenges and Promises
Addressing concerns about the treatment’s cost, Dr. Kathiresan highlights the affordability potential, driven by the mRNA technology underpinning Verve’s approach. Despite debates on becoming a standard treatment, Verve envisions broad accessibility, potentially changing the landscape of cardiovascular disease prevention.
Regulatory Shifts and Future Prospects
The recent FDA approval of a gene-editing treatment for Sickle Cell disease signals a regulatory shift, opening avenues for gene-editing therapies. Dr. Kathiresan remains optimistic, projecting Verve’s drug in the market and contributing to reshaping heart attack prevention by the end of the decade.
