Beyond the liver: how conjugation is advancing delivery for oligonucleotide therapeutics

Sasha Ebrahimi earned his BS from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2016 with Highest Distinction in Chemical Engineering. He then went on to earn his PhD in 2021 at Northwestern University as a Ryan Fellow working with Professor Chad Mirkin. Sasha joined GSK in 2021 where he is currently a Scientific Leader in the emerging drug delivery platforms team. Sasha’s research at GSK has focused on enhancing the developability of emerging therapeutic modalities like antibody drug conjugates and oligonucleotides. This work has spanned areas such as the design of drug delivery vehicles for targeted delivery, the development of novel formulations for enhancing the in vitro/in vivo stability of therapeutics, and the engineering of the molecular architecture of these therapeutics to boost their potency. His contributions have been recognized with >20 awards of national and international scope, including the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) 35 Under 35 award, the CASSS Next Generation Investigator award, and selection as a STAT News Wunderkind.

Sritama Bose is Associate Director and Head of Chemistry at Orfonyx Bio, where she leads the oligonucleotide chemistry team and oversees project delivery across multiple therapeutic programmes. As a member of the senior leadership team, she drives scientific strategy, discovery planning, and external partnerships. 

Prior to Orfonyx, Sritama served as Head of Chemistry Research & Innovation at the Medical Research Council’s Nucleic Acid Therapy Accelerator. There, she established the chemistry function from the ground up, developing novel conjugation and linker technologies while managing a diverse portfolio of collaborative and grant-funded programmes. Her earlier career includes senior roles at Sygnature Discovery and international postdoctoral research at institutions including Durham University and Peking University. 

Sritama holds a PhD in Total Synthesis of biologically active natural products from the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science. She is an inventor on multiple patents and an author of numerous peer-reviewed publications. She is an active mentor, a dedicated advocate for inclusive research cultures, and a recognized leader within the nucleic acid therapeutics community.

Eduardo Paredes is the Chief Technology Officer at Leal Therapeutics, a CNS-focused biotechnology company developing small molecules, oligonucleotides, and conjugated platforms for CNS delivery. He is a pharmaceutical development executive with over a decade of experience leading Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls (CMC), platform development, and global outsourced manufacturing strategies across early- to clinical-stage programs. Dr Paredes has successfully supported multiple IND and CTA submissions and has extensive expertise in phase-appropriate CMC strategy, CDMO oversight, process scale-up, and technology transfer for both small molecule and oligonucleotide therapeutics. Prior to Leal Therapeutics, he held senior leadership roles at Nitto Avecia, where he led large cross-functional teams in process development and technology strategy, expanding manufacturing capacity and advancing innovative manufacturing platforms. He earned his PhD in Chemistry from Carnegie Mellon University and completed postdoctoral training in virology at the National Cancer Institute (NIH). Eduardo also holds an Executive MBA from IE Business School and Brown University. He is originally from Mexico and has lived in the United States for over 20 years.

Dr Oxana Beskrovnaya is Chief Innovation Officer at Dyne Therapeutics, where she leads efforts to advance targeted delivery of oligonucleotides and biologics for the treatment of genetic diseases. Previously, she served as Dyne’s Chief Scientific Officer, pioneering the development of the FORCE™ delivery platform, enabling the clinical translation of innovative therapies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy and myotonic dystrophy type 1. Dr Beskrovnaya is an accomplished R&D leader with deep expertise across multiple therapeutic modalities, including RNA therapeutics. Prior to joining Dyne, she held leadership roles at Sanofi and Genzyme, where she directed translational research in rare genetic diseases. She holds a doctorate in genetics and completed postdoctoral training in neuromuscular diseases with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at the University of Iowa. Dr Beskrovnaya is the author of numerous patents, invited reviews, editorials, book chapters, and original research articles published in leading scientific journals, including Nature and Cell.