CRISPR treatment inserted directly into the body for first time

CRISPR treatment inserted directly into the body for first time

CRISPR therapy inserted directly into body

In March, a person with a rare genetic condition that causes blindness became the first to have a CRISPR–Cas9 gene therapy administered directly into their body. No treatment is currently available for the disease, which is a leading cause of blindness in childhood. The use of CRISPR–Cas9 in the body is a significant advance from treating cells in a dish. “It is akin to space flight versus a regular plane trip,” says geneticist Fyodor Urnov.

Nature | 3 min read