New CRISPR Genetic Engineering Approaches That Might Save Your Life
Almost 900 new approaches are in progress.
“Pain signals are transmitted to the brain through neurons similar to these in the spinal cord.” Photo Credit: Jose Calvo/Science Photo Library via Nature
In some of our past articles, we’ve mentioned the onslaught coming in the medical world due to new cures from gene editing and replacement. And, for the past few weeks, we have been trying to quantify what the effect might be. Boy, are we surprised about how many and how fast these changes are coming.
According to a list of clinical trials already in progress, or at least in the first phase of examination, there are almost 900 new approaches due to genetic replacement.
Here are a couple major examples.
The Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea has developed a CRISPR-Cas9-based method to selectively kill cancer tumor cells. It published it’s proof of concept study, which will be used to go into clinical trials in the near future.
CRISPR-based gene therapy has proven to reduce pain in mice as much as opiates for almost 44 weeks in experiments done at the University of San Diego. It is estimated that around 50 percent of the United States population will experience chronic pain in their lifetime, and the doctors who conducted these experiments have developed a company, Navage Therapeutics, to start human trials.
The sickle cell landmark study using CRISPR editing is now showing huge improvements in most patients in the trial with some having recessions of the disease for as long as two years. Large trials are currently ongoing.
Heart failure is one disease that current medical treatments can only slow or perhaps stop the progress of it. A CRISPR-based approach is being experimented with to create additional proteins to give the heart the ability to recreate additional function.
We could go on and on with examples that are popping up everywhere in the medical world, not just here in America, but instead hope any of our readers with a life-threatening disease look for trials based on CRISPR approaches, which seem to be poised to revolutionize treatments in thousands of human diseases. Here is a roadmap to start.
We would not be true, unbiased journalists without mentioning two problem areas that could occur with CRISPR-based approaches.
The threat of creating an unknown problem that might be greater than the solution (we will have an article specifically on that in the near future).
The economics of paying for these approaches, especially in a medical world based on maximizing profits. However, there are some structural changes starting, including the new Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), which is similar to the organization DARPA used by the military to develop new approaches that might help.
Who knows where this all leads, but one thing is true, as the Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, “change is the only constant in life."
Best,
Craig