arrow
Return

Discovery of long-acting APOC3 siRNA for treating patients with hypertriglyceridemia

delete2025-11-11
delete0
PRE
AI
T
Thazha P. Prakash *
A
Adam E. Mullick
S
Stan Riney
J
Jinghua Yu
M
Mehran Nikan
A
Amanda Crutchfield
S
Sagar Damle
S
Stéphanie Klein
E
Eric E. Swayze
DOI:10.1093/nar/gkaf1063delete
deleteOriginal
deleteOriginal request for help
deleteShare
deleteSave
Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
Apolipoprotein C-III (APOC3) plays a crucial role in triglyceride metabolism, and its high expression leads to hypertriglyceridemia, which can contribute to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and, when severely increased, can lead to acute pancreatitis. Loss-of-function variants in APOC3 are linked to lower triglyceride levels and reduced incidence of coronary artery disease. APOC3 mRNA, primarily synthesized by hepatocytes, is an ideal target for GalNAc-conjugated RNA-targeted therapies such as the antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) oleszarsen and small-interference RNA (siRNA) plozasiran. Herein, we systematically evaluate siRNA chemical modifications or multiple siRNAs to identify a long-acting APOC3 siRNA with a minimal number of 2'-F nucleotides. Using a series of structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies, we explored the effects of various oligonucleotide chemical modification scaffolds on siRNA potency, efficacy, and durability. These efforts led to the identification of an APOC3 targeting siRNA containing a novel chemical scaffold with robust activity and an extended duration of action in preclinical models. Additionally, selectivity and tolerability assessments in human cells, rodents, and nonhuman primates showed excellent safety and tolerability. A comparative analysis of the lead APOC3 siRNA with a surrogate of a clinical-stage APOC3 siRNA drug suggests the potential for similar or better potency and efficacy combined with less frequent dosing, potentially reducing the treatment burden on patients with hypertriglyceridemia.
Keywords:
ANTISENSE OLIGONUCLEOTIDES
CRYSTAL-STRUCTURE
CHEMICAL-MODIFICATIONS
SILENCING ACTIVITY
TARGETED DELIVERY
RNA INTERFERENCE
POTENCY
DNA
HEPATOCYTES
STABILITY

Journal

Nucleic Acids Research cover
Nucleic Acids Research
IF:
13.1
Papers:
3.6W
Citations:
29.0W

Organization

I
ionis pharmaceuticals inc.
Scholars:
771
Papers: 481
Citations: 1