Biohackers have said they 've produced a low - cost copy of $ 1m - per - treatment gene - therapy called Glybera . It had been approved for sufferers of a rare blood disease , lipoprotein lipase deficiency . Their collaboration, which took place through Facebook messages and Skype calls, included help from David Ishee, a biohacker in Mississippi. But it was withdrawn by manufacturer UniQure because it was n’t considered cost - effective . The independent and amateur biologists who produced the copy said they wanted to collaborate with others to develop their work . Some commentators have criticised their work , while others say patients have no choice because of the original 's high costs . The copy could infringe UniQure ’s intellectual property rights , however , and the US FDA has banned DIY gene supplies .
Biohackers have said they 've produced a low - cost copy of $ 1m - per - treatment gene - therapy called Glybera . It had been approved for sufferers of a rare blood disease , lipoprotein lipase deficiency . But it was withdrawn by manufacturer UniQure because it was n’t considered cost - effective . The independent and amateur biologists who produced the copy said they wanted to collaborate with others to develop their work . Some commentators have criticised their work , while others say patients have no choice because of the original 's high costs . The copy could infringe UniQure ’s intellectual property rights , however , and the US FDA has banned DIY gene supplies .