HIV Cure Made On CRISPR Technology Gets FDA Approval For Human Trials

We could soon be very close to a cure for HIV as a CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing tech that showed success in mice is now approved for undergoing clinical trials on humans. 

HIV cure
Reuters

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The CRISPR-based therapy EBT-101 created by Excision Biotherapeutics will soon undergo human trials after receiving FDA clearance, as per the company’s press release. 

According to Excision, the novel therapy could replace the standard of care retroviral therapy that prevents HIV from replicating but doesn’t really eliminate it from the body entirely. This basically means patients continue living on the treatment while experiencing severe side effects that impact the quality of life.

Led by Dr Kamel Khalili, the pioneer in the development of CRISPR-based gene editing tech, the novel treatment has shown that EBT-101 can effectively excise HIV proviral DNA from the genomes of different cells and tissues, including HIV-infected human cells and cells and tissues of humanised mice. 

Researchers, in collaboration with Tricia H. Burdo, PhD, Associate Professor and Associate Chair of Education in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Inflammation, revealed that the gene-editing technology is also capable of eliminating SIV — a virus closely related to HIV, originating from the genomes of non-human primates. 

Also Read: Scientists Are Just One Step Away From Curing HIV AIDS 100% Using CRISPR Gene-Editing

Khalili said in a statement, “The clinical trials highlight a well-orchestrated succession of academic research findings from Temple, now with the translation [of those findings] to treatment for people living with HIV-1 infection, which is an exciting development.”

DNA sequence
Unsplash

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Lisa Danzig, MD, Excision’s Chief Medical Officer, added, “EBT-101 has demonstrated removal of proviral DNA in multiple animal models and offers an opportunity for individuals living with HIV to potentially cease life-long therapies.”

Based on their statement, the biotech company now has plans to initiate a phase 1/2 clinical trial that would be scheduled for later this year.

For more technology news and science updates, keep visiting Indiatimes.com, and let us know if you are hopeful about this HIV cure developed from CRISPR gene-editing technology finally becoming a reality to rid humanity of HIV once and for all.


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