Alnylam interrupts preeclampsia

Preeclampsia often involves overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system that regulates blood pressure, but inhibiting the pathway is not possible because it would be toxic to the fetus. Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc. has developed an siRNA conjugate that does not cross the placenta or affect fetal development but can block angiotensin signaling and improve symptoms in a rat model of the condition.

Preeclampsia occurs in about 5% of pregnant women and can lead to life-threatening seizures. The condition is usually diagnosed in the second or third trimester when symptoms of hypertension and proteinuria appear, but the precise etiology of preeclampsia is poorly understood...