, Columnist
Another Crispr First: New Treatment Wipes Out Teen's Cancer
Next-generation gene-editing was used to create a therapy that attacked a 13-year-old's stubborn leukemia.
Alyssa’s cancer is now in remission.
Photographer: Great Ormond Street Hospital for ChildrenThis article is for subscribers only.
A 13-year old girl in the UK saw her cancer go into remission after becoming the first person in the world to receive a treatment that relies on a newer type of Crispr gene editing called base editing.
It’s a wonderful first application of the technology, which allows scientists to make precise, single-letter changes to DNA. And while it’s still very early days for base editing — the first tool was discovered just six years ago — it’s stunning to watch how quickly new inventions are moving from the lab into potential cures.