From Basic Science to Saving Lives: Alnylam & RNAi with Dr. Phillip Sharp

🧬 How do you turn Nobel Prize-winning research into life-saving medicines? 💊

From discovering RNA splicing to co-founding two biotech giants, Phillip Sharp has spent decades bridging the gap between fundamental science and patient treatment. His work led to the first FDA-approved RNAi drug and the technology that enabled COVID vaccines. Don't miss the new PBS documentary "Cracking the Code: Phil Sharp and the Biotech Revolution" premiering October 6, 2025.

🎙️ In the latest episode of International Business Today, "How a Biotech Founder Won the Nobel Prize," host Ravi Sarathy sits down with Dr. Phillip Sharp, Nobel Laureate and MIT Institute Professor, to explore:

🎯 How the discovery of RNA splicing revolutionized medicine and won a Nobel Prize 🚀 Building Alnylam from startup to $60 billion biotech leader over 16 challenging years 💡 Overcoming clinical trial failures, funding crises, and market skepticism 🌍 Expanding from rare diseases to chronic conditions affecting millions globally

💡 Whether you're a scientist, entrepreneur, or business leader, this episode reveals how breakthrough research becomes breakthrough medicine through persistence, strategic partnerships, and patient-focused innovation.

About the guest: Dr. Phillip Sharp is MIT Institute Professor Emeritus and 1993 Nobel Prize winner in Medicine for discovering RNA splicing. He co-founded Biogen (1978) and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (2002), pioneering the biotech industry and RNAi therapeutics. His work contributed to treatments for rare genetic diseases and the lipid nanoparticle technology used in COVID vaccines. He has mentored generations of scientists and entrepreneurs while serving on numerous biotech company boards.

Learn more about Dr. Phillip Sharp: https://ki.mit.edu/people/faculty/sharp

PBS Documentary "Cracking the Code: Phil Sharp and the Biotech Revolution" Premieres October 6, 2025 at 10 PM on PBS INDEPENDENT LENS 📺 Watch on PBS: https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/documentaries/cracking-the-code/ 📺 Stream on PBS App: Available after broadcast