The Long Run with Luke Timmerman Ep191: Emily Conley on Small Molecules to Correct a Rare Kidney Disease
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Dec 15, 2025 Emily Conley, CEO of Renasant Bio, discusses groundbreaking approaches to autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). She shares her journey from caregiving and early scientific pursuits to executive roles at 23andMe and Federation Bio. Emily explains the potential of small molecules to correct genetic mutations in ADPKD and the hope for early interventions. She highlights the importance of targeting polycystins and the exciting developments on the horizon for kidney disease research.
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Wind Down With Clear-Eyed Transparency
- Handle a wind-down transparently and decisively to preserve reputation and investor relationships.
- Emily says a clear-eyed decision before hitting zero earned respect and helped future opportunities.
ADPKD Offers A Genetically Validated Target
- ADPKD is genetically validated with known causal genes PKD1 and PKD2, making it attractive for targeted therapies.
- Emily found the cystic fibrosis corrector/potentiator paradigm directly translatable to ADPKD drug design.
Mechanism: Trafficking And Ion Flux Matter
- Polycystin complex dysfunction causes cysts via absent protein, misfolding/mistrafficking, or impaired channel function.
- Restoring trafficking and ion flux at the cell surface prevents cyst formation, guiding corrector/potentiator strategy.