The Promise of RNAi for Hereditary Angioedema and Other Rare Diseases

Hereditary angioedema is a rare genetic disease that causes episodes of severe swelling. The swelling can occur in the limbs, face, intestinal tract and elsewhere. Sometimes, it can be life threatening if the swelling obstructs breathing. Though there are limited therapeutic options available, a class of drugs known as RNA interference is offering hope. We spoke to Marc Riedl, professor of medicine and clinical director of the US HAEA Angiodema Center at the University of California, San Diego, about hereditary angioedema, how RNA interference therapies work, and why this may be an area of promise for this and other rare diseases.