FDA lifts hold on first-ever CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing trial


The FDA lifted its hold on CRISPR Therapeutics and Vertex Pharmaceuticals' highly anticipated gene-editing trial Wednesday, allowing the first company-backed trial using the CRISPR/Cas9 technology to start in the U.S. CRISPR and Vertex were preparing to test the the ability of a new gene-editing technology, CRISPR/Cas9, in cutting out and replacing disease-causing snippets of DNA when the FDA placed the hold in May. The trial is scheduled to start by the end of 2018, according to a joint statement from the companies. The experimental technology has not yet been tested in humans and has raised safety concerns in the industry.



from Biotech News