Crispr gene editing ready for testing in humans

[Techno-Druid]

(Source)

Ever since scientists began decoding the human genome in 1990, doctors have dreamt of a new era of medicine where illness could be treated — or even cured — by fxing flaws in a person’s DNA. Rather than using medicine to fight disease, they would be able to hack biology to combat sickness at its source.

The dream started to become a reality in 2013, when researchers demonstrated how a gene editing technique, known as Crispr-Cas9, could be used to edit living human cells, raising the possibility that a person’s DNA could be altered much as text is changed by a word-processor.

Now, two biotech companies say they plan to start testing the technology in humans as early as this year.


Crispr Therapeutics has already applied for permission from European regulators to test its most advanced product, code-named CTX001, in patients suffering from beta-thalassaemia, an inherited blood disease where the body does not produce enough healthy red blood cells. Patients with the most severe form of the illness would die without frequent transfusions.

The Switzerland-based company says it also plans to seek a greenlight from the US Food and Drug Administration this year so it can trial CTX001 in people with sickle cell disease, another inherited blood disorder.

Editas Medicine, Crispr’s US-based rival, says it plans to apply for permission from the FDA in the middle of the year so it can test one of its one of its own Crispr gene-editing products in patients with a rare form of congenital blindness that causes severe vision loss at birth. If the FDA agrees, it should be able to commence trials within 30 days of the application.

If those trials are successful, Crispr, Editas and a third company, Intellia Therapeutics, say they plan to study the technique in humans with a range of diseases including cancer, cystic fibrosis, haemophilia and Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

It would be amazing to live in a future where the disease and viruses are trivial. As nihilistic as I can be, I'm proud that we have and could accomplish so much as a species.

[Forogil]

(Source)

It would be amazing to live in a future where the disease and viruses are trivial. As nihilistic as I can be, I'm proud that we have and could accomplish so much as a species.

Interesting, but there is always the possibility that some letters are misplaced in the process causing problems - when attempting to "fxing flaws in a person’s DNA".

I assume they will try to limit it to the bone-marrow for the diseases related to red blood cells.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

Start small and maybe just maybe...we'll get some massive improvements in quality of life.

[Ghier]

Very interested in seeing the results.

[Independent voter]

The Chinese are CRISPring the Hell out of people as we speak and have been for some time.

[cubby]

(Source)

It would be amazing to live in a future where the disease and viruses are trivial. As nihilistic as I can be, I'm proud that we have and could accomplish so much as a species.

Wow - this is simply amazing. And I could not agree more with you - such amazing times we live in.

[Phookah]

Here's hoping this is the break-through people hope it is!

[cubby]

Start small and maybe just maybe...we'll get some massive improvements in quality of life.

It's going to be a little better than that. If our current Cheeto-in-Chief doesn't take us to nuclear war, practical immortality is literally at our doorstep.

[Underverse]

Pretty sure this is just going to create a society of rich people who live forever and poor people who die young, far worse than we have now.

Well, eventually everyone will be rich because robots will replace poor workers and governments will be able to afford basic incomes.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

Pretty sure this is just going to create a society of rich people who live forever and poor people who die young, far worse than we have now.

Party pooper

[Wiltrold]

Interesting.. when I wrote a small literature study 2 years ago on the subject, it seemed that the biggest roadblock for this technology to overcome was the massive amount of off-target sites that would be mutated in addition to the correct site.

[Kreo]

Awesome, alto only rich will experience it for it's fullest at first but I do believe even average income people would get some benefits in the future.
Hail to Übermensch!

But if we ever wanted to move beyond our planet, future generations need to evolve certain properties to survive very long space trip.
As long as it's not going turn into Elysium-style world.

[Powerogue]

Well it was going to happen eventually, but I don't think humanity is prepared for this.



Right off the bat my concerns are proven right with the targeting of sickle cell, which is known to also combat malaria outbreaks. Things we "engineer out" could have massive unintended consequences. Hopefully nothing too drastic. * casually eats a cavendish banana because the regular breed went extinct due to low genetic diversity *

[Forgettable]

Pretty sure this is just going to create a society of rich people who live forever and poor people who die young, far worse than we have now.

Have you watched Altered Carbon?

[Thoughtful Trolli]

(Source)

It would be amazing to live in a future where the disease and viruses are trivial. As nihilistic as I can be, I'm proud that we have and could accomplish so much as a species.

They've kept cocaine from us because they're pieces of shit and they're going to keep agelessness away from us because they're pieces of shit.

The only real progress will be increasing the weapon capacity of individuals, which is why the rich fear AI.

[Deleted]

They've kept cocaine from us because they're pieces of shit and they're going to keep agelessness away from us because they're pieces of shit.

The only real progress will be increasing the weapon capacity of individuals, which is why the rich fear AI.

You got your tinfoil hat on today?

[AeneasBK]

You got your tinfoil hat on today?

Surely its just the cocaine?

[Eldar45]

The human genome is like a computer code far more advanced than anything the Human race has ever created. I've said that so I can say this:


Noone is doing any kind of shenanigans to my DNA. They'll try to fix cancer, end up making half of the human race infertile.