South China Morning Post
29th August 2023
Chinese scientists find glimmer of hope for blind in gene-editing study
Chinese scientists say the most common form of inherited blindness could be cured with gene editing technology, heralding a potential breakthrough for the millions of people affected by genetic eye diseases.
In a paper published by the peer-reviewed journal Nature Communications, the researchers said their findings could also offer new hope for people undergoing lifelong treatments for other genetic disorders.
Around two million people worldwide suffer from inherited retinal diseases, the most common being Retinitis pigmentosa (RP), which causes progressive vision loss and eye disorders. There is no effective treatment.
But by correcting the genetic mutations that lead to the disorder, gene editing has the potential to restore normal protein expression and offer a lifelong cure, the researchers said.