“Nothing good or great comes easy. Therein lies the promise and the excitement,” according to Ogo Egbuna, M.D., Vice President of Clinical Development, who serves as the development lead for our genetic kidney disease programs. APOL1-mediated kidney disease (AMKD) is a serious disease with a high unmet need — exactly the type of problem that fits our research strategy. Our scientists have tested hundreds of thousands of candidate molecules in the hopes of developing potential small molecule therapies that target the underlying cause of the disease.
And while our teams continue to pursue research and clinical development, Vertex is also dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of genetic testing to determine if a patient carries the APOL1 genetic variants.
In this episode of Targeting the Toughest Diseases, hear directly from Vertex’s Dr. Ogo Egbuna, an internist-transplant nephrologist by training who has dedicated his career to helping kidney patients. You’ll also hear from Dr. David Friedman, physician, researcher and an associate professor with Harvard Medical School (and who works with Vertex on our clinical trials), Dr. Janice Lea, who studies kidney disorders at Emory University School of Medicine, and basketball legend Alonzo Mourning, who describes his journey to being diagnosed with AMKD.
To access a script of this episode, click here.
About Targeting the Toughest Diseases: A podcast
Did you know that ancient Egyptians detected type 1 diabetes using ants? Or that there’s even a link between muscular dystrophy and autism? In Targeting the Toughest Diseases — a podcast created in partnership with Vertex and Bloomberg Media Studios — we hear the stories of people living with these and other serious diseases, from experts all over the world who explain the often-little-known histories of these conditions, and about how Vertex is using innovative tools, methods and a unique philosophy to search for treatments and cures.
In each episode you’ll hear from patients living with a serious disease, and how scientists and doctors, including outside experts, are working to create innovative paths to therapy.
Check out all the available episodes and subscribe today: https://www.vrtx.com/en-us/our-science/targeting-toughest-diseases/