The Genetics Podcast EP 223: Live at JPM: Rewriting disease with next-generation genetic medicines with Michelle Werner of Alltrna and Mike Severino of Tessera Therapeutics
Jan 22, 2026
Join Michelle Werner, CEO of Alltrna, who focuses on engineered tRNA therapeutics for rare genetic diseases, and Mike Severino, CEO of Tessera Therapeutics, specializing in RNA-based gene-writing platforms. They discuss how 2026 is a pivotal year for clinical trials, share groundbreaking preclinical results, and explore innovative strategies for addressing genetic mutations. The duo also highlights the importance of patient advocacy and the adaptability of their platforms to tackle various genetic disorders, marking a promising future in genetic medicine.
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Target The Mutation Not The Gene
- Alterna engineers tRNAs to target classes of mutations rather than single genes across many rare diseases.
- A single engineered tRNA could potentially treat hundreds of different conditions sharing the same codon change.
Gene Writing Uses RNA To Write DNA
- Tessera's gene writing uses biology of mobile genetic elements to write DNA via RNA intermediates.
- This enables RNA-only compositions that leverage lipid nanoparticle delivery for in vivo genome writing.
Prove Breadth And Safety Preclinically
- Validate platform generality across many disease models before clinic to justify a broad trial approach.
- Prioritize robust safety and LNP-focused tolerability when deploying novel RNA payloads like engineered tRNAs.