Jordan Gaspore

To answer that, I sat down with Dr. Manish Maski.

He's a board-certified nephrologist helping lead Vertex's research into IgA nephropathy.

Dr. Maski explained that B cells, an important part of our immune system to fight off infections, can lose control and produce antibodies that hurt our own organs, in this case, the kidneys.

Can you tell us a little bit about where the field is going and what's being done for people living with IgA nephropathy?

Okay, so B cells are a type of white blood cell that helps power our immune system.

Can you tell us a little bit more about what BAF and APRIL are and how they're involved in B cell control and how all of that relates to IgA nephropathy?

This is a complex scenario.

What's the innovative thinking that Vertex is considering here?

For Rachel Benton, living with uncertainty has become a constant burden.

Rachel, like a lot of people living with IgA nephropathy, has become an advocate, encouraging others to get checked.

Why not?

Kidney health is not top of mind for most people, but it's worth talking to your doctor about.

You can also go to Vertex's website, vrtx.com, for more information on Vertex's commitment to IgA nephropathy and other serious kidney diseases.

This is Targeting the Toughest Diseases, a podcast from Bloomberg Media Studios and Vertex Pharmaceuticals.

If you like what you hear, subscribe and leave us a review.

I'm Jordan Gaspore.

Thanks for listening.