The Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) has lifted a clinical hold on trials of a sickle cell disease treatment being researched by Swiss - based biotech company CRISPR Therapeutics and pharmaceutical firm Vertex Pharmaceuticals . The FDA imposed the hold when the companies applied for rat New Drug clearance because it required more information . Regulators in other countries have already approved the trials which involve patients ’ cells being engineered outside the body to produce high levels of fetal haemoglobin in red blood cells and solve blood transfusion problems for beta - cell and sickle - cell patients .
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has lifted a clinical hold on trials of a sickle cell disease treatment being researched by Swiss-based biotech company CRISPR Therapeutics and US firm Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The FDA imposed the hold when the companies applied for Investigative New Drug clearance because it wanted more information. Regulators in other countries have already approved the trials which involves patients’ cells being engineered outside the body to produce high levels of fetal haemoglobin in red blood cells and solve blood transfusion problems for beta-thalassemia and sickle-cell patients.