Drugging RNA with pills: small molecules for a big frontier
Can biotechnology startups turn what were once accidental discoveries into a purposeful way to hit hard-to-reach disease targets?
Infused or injectable medicines that interfere with RNA, the messenger molecules that turn genetic instructions into proteins, have taken the spotlight in recent years, winning approvals for several rare diseases. A group of biotechnology startups are trying to find similar success by targeting RNA with pills instead.
History shows they face a daunting task. It’s long been considered futile to use chemical-based compounds to go after RNA because of its shifty nature. When scientists have succeeded, it’s typically been by accident. Last decade, for instance, Merck & Co. discovered an experimental antibiotic it was developing blocked a type of bacterial RNA. Pfizer inadvertently found one of its drug prospects affected translation of a protein that regulates cholesterol.
Now, drugmakers are doing it intentionally. Helped by better sequencing technologies, screening methods and a broader understanding of RNA, researchers can more easily capture how the information molecules look and design drugs that attach to them.
If successful, they could help unlock disease targets that small molecules can’t currently reach, bringing forward new ways to treat neurodegenerative disorders, cancer and other diseases.
At least eight startups are developing small molecules that target RNA. Large pharmaceutical companies including Sanofi, AstraZeneca, Amgen and Roche have shown interest in their research, promising hundreds of millions of dollars in a string of deals. Here’s where things stand.
What are RNA-targeting small molecules, and how do they work?
Small molecules are chemical-based drugs that usually target proteins and block or change the way they work.
Due to their size, they can reach most tissues in the human body, slip into cells and bind to the craggy parts of their targets. They are the bedrock of the pharmaceutical industry, making up a large majority of drugs on the market.
Published Sept. 6, 2022 Gwendolyn Wu, Reporter