Genome editing could not only cure hepatitis B but also aid in cancer therapy, Dmitry Kostyushev, head of the Laboratory of Genetic Technologies for Drug Development at Sechenov University, told TASS.
“CRISPR/Cas complexes [genome editing technology] can be reconfigured for various tasks: editing genes, the epigenome, or altering DNA or RNA nucleotide sequences. Our delivery systems are universal: any ‘cargo’—anti-tumor molecules, genetic editing systems—can be delivered to a target organ. This could involve correcting mutations, destroying tumors, or suppressing infections—the spectrum is vast,” he said.
Earlier, the scientist reported that the non-viral delivery system and CRISPR/Cas “packaging” technology developed at the university enable a complete cure for hepatitis B. “One nanoparticle can hold 200-250 copies of antiviral complexes, which is enough to remove all copies of the viral genome in an infected cell. At the same time, the drug is very short-lived: after 20-24 hours, no trace of it remains in the liver,” he said. Because the delivery systems contain no foreign viral or bacterial components, the immune system does not perceive them as a threat.
According to Kostyushev, the fundamental part of the work is already complete, and there is a chance that “the first patients could receive the drug within the next few years.”
