Voyager Therapeutics Inc. has entered into a strategic collaboration and capsid license agreement with Novartis Pharma AG, a subsidiary of Novartis AG, to advance potential gene therapies for Huntington’s disease and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).

Modifying a patient’s DNA is no longer just for science fiction novels. The CRISPR gene editing technique developed by Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier only took 10 years to reach the market as Casgevy (exagamglogene autotemcel/exa-cel, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc.), treating congenital pathologies such as β-thalassemia and severe sickle cell disease (SCD). But science does not stop.

Neuexcell Therapeutics Inc. has announced that NXL-004, an investigational AAV gene therapy product being developed for the treatment of malignant glioma, has been awarded orphan drug designation by the FDA.

Although there are different methods of nuclear gene editing, there are still no effective treatments against mitochondrial disorders due to genetic alterations. Now, a group of researchers at Precision Biosciences Inc. and the University of Miami (UM) has developed a genetic edition platform that targets mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to delete its mutations.

“The ARCUS technology that we use is based on an enzyme found in nature called I-CreI. It is an enzyme that recognizes a 22 base pair DNA sequence within a species of green algae. And when it finds that DNA sequence, it will generate double-strand breaks,” first author Wendy Shoop, a scientist at Precision Biosciences, told BioWorld.

Voyager Therapeutics Inc. has selected a lead development candidate for its superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1)-mutated amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) gene therapy program. The company anticipates filing an IND application for the candidate with the FDA in mid-2025.

Preveceutical Medical Inc. is working to accelerate the completion of its preclinical diabetes and obesity dual gene therapy program. The company is pursuing a dual-gene therapy strategy using in vitro validated Smart-siRNA sequences, which when paired with its proprietary bioresponsive lipid-nanoparticulate delivery systems, effectively target the PTPN1 gene.

Uniqure NV has received FDA clearance of its IND application for AMT-191, the company’s gene therapy candidate for Fabry disease.

Fractyl Health Inc. has expanded an academic-industry scientific partnership focused on advancing research on the role of the gut and pancreas in metabolic disease.