NBA great Alonzo Mourning returned home from the Sydney Olympics after winning the gold medal feeling ill. He surprisingly was diagnosed shortly after with kidney disease. Scientists have discovered his type of kidney disease is linked to having genetic variants of the APOL1 gene – ones that 13% of African Americans carry. Dr. Ogo Egbuna leads clinical development for the team researching APOL1-mediated kidney disease at Vertex where they’re investigating a potential therapy to target its underlying cause. Alonzo Mourning is a paid spokesperson for Vertex Pharmaceuticals.

Produced by Bloomberg Media Studios and Vertex Pharmaceuticals.

Featured guests:

Alonzo Mourning is a retired NBA player, the Vice President of Player Programs for the Miami Heat, an advocate for kidney disease research, and a beneficiary of a kidney transplant.

David Friedman is an Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and a Principal Investigator and Nephrologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He's researched and consulted for Vertex Pharmaceuticals.

Janice Lea is a Professor of Medicine and Clinical Director of Nephrology at Emory University School of Medicine.

Ogo Egbuna is the Vice President of Clinical Development at Vertex Pharmaceuticals.

Read more about Vertex's approach to targeting kidney disease.

Produced by Bloomberg Media Studios and Vertex Pharmaceuticals.