The end of heart failure?

Tool used to fix gene defect

A GROUNDBREAKING tool has been used to wipe out a genetic mutation causing heart failure.

Scientists altered nuclear DNA in human embryos so they would not develop hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which has a 50% chance of being passed on.

It is the first time gene-editing tool Crispr-Cas9 has been used to fix a common inherited disease. Dr Shoukhrat Mitalipov said: “Every gener- ation on would carry this repair as we’ve removed the disease-causing variant.” Oregon Health and Science University in Portland removed defective elements of a gene causing HCM from embryos, whose own repair systems made healthy replacements. Around 72% were fixed in the study, in which no embryo was allowed to develop beyond five days. But Dr David King, of Human Genetics Alert, warned against a “fait accompli of the first GM baby”.