On the occasion of Janjatiya Gaurav Divas, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Institute of Genomic and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB) has transferred indigenous technology for developing a CRISPR-based gene-editing therapy for Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) to the Serum Institute of India Private Limited (SII).

India has the second-highest number of children born with SCD globally, with an estimated 15,000 to 25,000 new cases each year, particularly among tribal communities in Central India. SII will now conduct clinical trials to develop a more cost-effective treatment for this genetic disorder.

At present, CRISPR-based gene-editing therapy for SCD costs around USD 3 million (approximately Rs 26 crore), mainly due to high licensing fees. The newly developed indigenous technology, however, is expected to bring the cost down to around Rs 50 lakh.

Meanwhile, IGIB has already begun the first phase of clinical trials in collaboration with multiple agencies, including the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, and CSIR.