On this episode of Biotalk, Geoff Meyerson, CEO and Co-founder of Locust Walk, speaks with Sudhir Agrawal, Founder and President of ARNAY Sciences and a pioneer in RNA therapeutics. Sudhir’s extensive career spans over three decades, during which he has made groundbreaking contributions to the field, including developing gapmer antisense technology, immune modulation approaches, and, in recent years, designing cyclic structures of DNA and RNA for therapeutic applications.



In their conversation, Sudhir recounts his journey from his early days in nucleic acid research to becoming a leading innovator in RNA therapeutics. He delves into the origins of the gapmer technology, its impact on antisense drug development, and the lessons learned from his time Idera Pharmaceuticals. He also shares insights into his latest work on cyclic RNA/DNA structures and discusses his vision for the future of nucleic acid therapeutics.



He concludes by offering practical advice to entrepreneurs aspiring to break into the biotech space and sharing his thoughts on the future of RNA science.



Join us for a deep dive into the world of RNA therapeutics with one of its most influential figures.Subscribe or follow Biotalk on Apple Podcasts | Spotify.



Timestamps:



1:34 What inspired you to focus specifically on RNA therapeutics, and how did your whole journey here begin? 



3:04 Can you provide more details about the initial insight behind the development of the gapmer technology, which has been transformational for the space? 



5:34 What lessons did you learn from your experience at Ionis (formerly Isis) that you would apply to your current work? 



13:54 How are you thinking about commercializing the cyclic RNA/DNA structures you have developed at your company RNA Sciences? 



23:40 Beyond the cyclic structures, what other innovations or areas of focus do you see on the horizon for nucleic acid therapeutics? 



23:23 What advice would you give your early self starting out as an entrepreneur and innovator in the biotech space?