UK Becomes First Country to Approve Crispr Gene Editing Therapy

The first-of-its-kind gene-editing tool for sickle cell disease was accelerated to market through a regulatory initiative.

A general view of staff on a NHS hospital ward at Ealing Hospital in London, on Jan. 18, 2023. Jeff Moore/PA Media

The UK has become the first country to regulate the authorisation of a CRISPR-based gene-editing therapy in the world.

On Thursday, the government announced that new treatment for sickle-cell disease and transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia has been authorised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for patients aged 12 and over.