Photo: Freepik
The development has successfully passed testing in laboratory conditions and in animals. The authors hope to begin testing the drug in humans within a few years.
CRISPR/Cas9 is a genome editing technology called "genetic scissors." It allows for finding and "cutting out" specific DNA segments with high precision.
The key achievement of the team from Sechenov University is the creation of an effective delivery system for CRISPR complexes to affected liver cells. The system is based on biodegradable nanoparticles, each carrying 200–250 copies of antiviral complexes.
The researchers applied two approaches. The first is direct editing, where the CRISPR complex is delivered to hepatocytes using nanoparticles. The Cas9 protein finds and cuts out critical segments of viral DNA. The cell repairs the break, but without the viral sequence, resulting in the virus losing its ability to replicate.
The other therapeutic pathway is immune activation using CRISPR. In experiments, this approach suppressed hepatitis virus replication by 90–99%.
CRISPR technology is one of the most promising global developments. In December 2023, US and UK regulators approved the first CRISPR therapy – the drug Casgevy (developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics) for treating sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia.
Several CRISPR therapies for viral infections, like the one from the Sechenov University team, are in development. American company Excision BioTherapeutics completed the first phase of clinical trials in 2025 for a CRISPR drug to treat HIV and is preparing to test a similar therapy for hepatitis B.
While CRISPR therapies are still in development, Russia uses another innovative hepatitis B therapy with the targeted drug bulevirtide (trade names Myrcludex B and Hepcludex). Russia became one of the first countries where the drug underwent large-scale clinical trials and is successfully used in medical centers. More details in the review by Marus Media.
Source: Medvestnik
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