The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted approval for a groundbreaking treatment for sickle cell disease, a debilitating condition affecting over 100,000 Americans, primarily from the Black community. Developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics, the therapy, named Casgevy, stands out as the first-ever medicine in the United States utilizing the revolutionary CRISPR gene-editing tool. Casgevy represents a major milestone, praised by experts like Dr. Alexis Thompson from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, who noted the rapid progression from CRISPR’s discovery to its Nobel Prize and now to an approved product. The treatment, which targets patients aged 12 and older, eliminates the need for a donor by using CRISPR to edit the patient’s stem cells’ DNA, removing the gene responsible for sickle cell disease. Another FDA-approved treatment, Lyfgenia, a gene therapy from Bluebird Bio, offers an alternative approach by genetically modifying patients’ own stem cells, marking a pivotal moment in addressing the inherited blood disorder.

Despite the transformative potential, the newfound therapies come with a significant financial barrier. Casgevy, priced at $2.2 million per patient by Vertex, raises concerns about accessibility, potentially excluding many families from its benefits. Dr. Rabi Hanna from the Cleveland Clinic emphasizes the importance of ensuring accessibility, considering the therapy’s potential to equalize opportunities for individuals with sickle cell disease. While the treatment offers hope for a cure, uncertainties about long-term effects persist, prompting ongoing monitoring in post-approval studies. Patients like Christopher Vega, who participated in the clinical trial, express gratitude for the life-changing results, but questions about potential long-term consequences and the therapy’s affordability remain at the forefront of discussions in the evolving landscape of sickle cell disease treatments.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fda-approves-cure-sickle-cell-disease-first-treatment-use-gene-editing-rcna127979

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