Targeting the Leading Cause of Death in Friedreich’s Ataxia with a Gene Therapy

Friedreich’s ataxia is a rare, genetic, degenerative disorder that affects multiple systems in the body. As the disease progresses, patients typically experience various heart conditions. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, fibrosis, heart failure, and arrhythmias are the cause of death in approximately two-thirds of Friedreich’s ataxia patients. Lexeo Therapeutics is developing a gene therapy to treat FA cardiomyopathy. We spoke to R. Nolan Townsend, CEO of Lexeo Therapeutics, about Friedreich’s ataxia, the company’s gene therapy in development, and its pursuit of gene therapies for both rare and common diseases.