APOL1-mediated kidney disease: The Genetic Abnormality and Its Impact

APOL1-mediated kidney disease is a type of kidney disease caused by a genetic abnormality known as the APOL1 gene. This gene mutation developed thousands of years ago in sub-Saharan Africa as a protective mechanism against African sleeping sickness. However, when individuals inherit two risk variants of APOL1, their chances of developing kidney disease increase tenfold. The disease, characterized by scar tissue development on the kidney filters, affects a significant percentage of African Americans, Latinx, and Afro-Caribbean communities. While chronic kidney disease has no cure, options like dialysis and kidney transplants offer temporary relief. Vertex Pharmaceuticals is researching APOL1-mediated kidney disease, hoping to develop small molecule therapies to address this unmet medical need.