CRISPR companies calling for article retraction from Nature Methods – If the same or similar sequence of letters appears elsewhere in the genome, that can result in an unintentional or off-target edit – Concerns of Harm caused by Gene Editing using CRISPR-Cas9 | Leaders in Pharmaceutical Business Intelligence (LPBI) Group

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CRISPR companies calling for article retraction from Nature Methods – If the same or similar sequence of letters appears elsewhere in the genome, that can result in an unintentional or off-target edit – Concerns of Harm caused by Gene Editing using CRISPR-Cas9

November 12, 2019 by 2012pharmaceutical

CRISPR companies calling for article retraction from Nature Methods – If the same or similar sequence of letters appears elsewhere in the genome, that can result in an unintentional or off-target edit – Concerns of Harm caused by Gene Editing using CRISPR-Cas9

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Storm around the call for “Nature Methods editorial board to retract this paper.”

A spokesperson at Springer Nature, which publishes Nature Methods, said the organization had received “a number of communications” already about the paper. “We are carefully considering all concerns that have been raised with us and are discussing them with the authors,” the journal said. Vinit Mahajan of Stanford University, who was the paper’s senior author, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Another author, Alexander Bassuck of the University of Iowa, said he was traveling and unable to respond immediately.

The paper, titled

“Unexpected mutations after CRISPR–Cas9 editing in vivo,” triggered a rash of negative headlines after claiming the gene-editing tool caused widespread and unpredictable havoc in the genomes of edited mice, introducing hundreds of unintended errors.

The stock market value of Editas Medicine, Intellia Therapeutics, and CRISPR Therapeutics, which together have raised more than $1 billion to pursue CRISPR treatments, all fell sharply on the news.

CRISPR technology is widely touted as a revolutionary new means of easily altering DNA. But its promise is being exaggerated in media reports, including some that claim it will cure all genetic disease and solve the world’s food problems with superplants.

CRISPR can be programmed to cut specific sequences of DNA letters, thereby correcting or changing genes. While this versatility is what makes it powerful, if the same or similar sequence of letters appears elsewhere in the genome, that can result in an unintentional or off-target edit. Concern over the technique’s potential side effects is widely shared, even by some of its inventors.

The fear is that planned medical treatments using CRISPR could prove dangerous. A single erroneous cut could be disastrous for patients if it lands in a vital gene. Fifteen years ago, pioneering experiments in gene therapy were set back when unintentional genetic changes caused cancer in some children. Many scientists believe careful programming can eliminate most of the risk.

The ease of use of CRISPR means nearly any lab can try it. In China, some human experiments have already begun. The rush to use the method is part of what’s creating anxiety, since it makes mistakes more likely. Editas recently postponed its own planned study of CRISPR to correct an eye disease until next year.

According to Intellia, however, the authors showed “disregard” for what’s already known about CRISPR. “It is clear the authors are not experts on the CRISPR Cas9, whole genome sequencing, nor basic genetics. Their claim of ‘unexpected mutations’ clearly demonstrates their lack of scientific acumen around this topic,” the company said.

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