Novartis’ $9.7 billion move for inclisiran developer, the Medicines Co, and US approval for Alnylam’s Givlaarim have put RNA interference back in the headlines. RNAi therapies treat disease by interfering with – or “silencing†– genes. Drugs like inclisiran and Givlaarim bind mRNA transcribed from target genes, forming double stranded molecules that cannot be translated into protein. Inclisiran’s target mRNA encodes PCSK9, a protein that hampers the body’s ability to absorb low-density lipoprotein (LDL) [1]. By minimizing PCSK9 levels inclisiran…
