Breakthrough Gene Therapy Promises Permanent Cholesterol Control

Quick Summary

• A CRISPR-based gene-editing therapy may offer a one-time solution to permanently lower cholesterol levels, reducing lifelong risk of heart disease.
• The initial trial, named “Heart-2,” was conducted by Verve Therapeutics, a biotech firm based in Boston.
• The study included 14 participants with either an inherited condition causing high cholesterol or early-onset heart disease.
• Early results indicate that a single dose successfully lowered cholesterol levels without serious side effects.

Image: Cholesterol-containing plaque in a heart artery (Credit: Nigel Downer/Science photo Library).