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Scientists Suggest This Could Be The Key To Preventing Heart Attacks
By NADEEM SARWAR
Could a heart attack be a thing of the past? Verve Therapeutics hopes so and aims to use controversial gene-editing techniques such as CRISPR to selectively alter the segment of the human genome that is responsible for conditions leading to heart attacks.
Since heart attacks are caused by the buildup of cholesterol in blood vessels, Verve's proposed treatment seeks to stop the accumulation by changing the metabolic behavior at a genetic level. Its single-course system targets the liver, where the gene-editing material is delivered and the problematic gene is turned off.
The company plans to begin testing its treatment on human subjects within the next few months; however, it could take years before enough data is documented to begin proper clinical trials. On top of that, Verve’s procedure could be cost prohibitive for most people, with analysts estimating anywhere between $50,000 and $200,000.