Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
'It's Super Exciting': CRISPR-Based Cholesterol Treatment Successful In Monkeys, Moves Into Human Trials
Verve Therapeutics said Tuesday its one-time treatment that uses the 鈥渂ase editing鈥 form of CRISPR to remove a cholesterol-associated gene in monkeys has demonstrated durable and significant reductions in LDL 鈥渂ad鈥 cholesterol for six months. Based on these new data, Verve intends to advance the treatment, called VERVE-101, into clinical development for people born with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, or HeFH, a genetic heart disease that causes lifelong, high LDL levels. (Feuerstein, 1/12)
Intarcia Therapeutics, a one-time biotech unicorn that has been unable to secure approval for a diabetes implant, has lost the support of a major Chinese investor and is being forced to auction lab equipment for the cash it needs to remain in business. China-based Luxin Venture Capital Group has written down to zero its investment in Intarcia, according to documents reviewed by STAT. Luxin invested $30 million in the company鈥檚 2016 venture round. (Sheridan and Feuerstein, 1/12)
It was a slight departure from the usual Consumer Electronics Show panel: Rather than touting the latest health gadgets that attendees have come to expect from the annual Las Vegas tech bonanza, panelists at a session on trust in AI for health care grappled with how to ensure the tools don鈥檛 worsen inequality or create new problems for health care providers. (Brodwin, 1/12)
