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Amazing Innovation : Heart Attack will be cured by altering DNA

Plenty of  medications are available in the market reduce high cholesterol in the body, but certainly none can save a patient from having a heart attack.

The US biotech company Verve Therapeutics has now found the solution to this problem. By changing the DNA, bad cholesterol can be prevented from accumulating in the body, the company boss said. It can be a permanent solution to a heart attack. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 18 million people died from heart disease in 2019, 85% of them from heart attack and stroke.

Research will be conducted on patients with  heart attack

According to the WHO, about 18 million people died of heart disease in 2019, of which 85% were due to heart attack and stroke.
The technology  to alter the DNA will be tried on people who have suffered a stroke due to high cholesterol. It is a genetic disease called hypercholesterolemia. 31 million people are effected  every year globally.

If this technology is successful in preventing bad cholesterol, then what will happen to young people in this research, so that they can be saved before heart attack. Further  information is still unavailable yet.

Changes will be made in human DNA

Verve Therapeutics will use the Crispr DNA  tool to modify a human’s DNA.
Scientists  have discovered such genetic mutations, which will help in reducing cholesterol. This will automatically reduces the chances of getting a heart attack. The companies main  focus is on blocking  the function of genes that are reason behind high cholesterol.

At present  Verve Therapeutics is innovating two drugs that target  genes in human DNA. The gene names are PCSK9 and ANGPTL3. Some patients will require only one  while some will need 2 medications to get relief . The company is using the Crispr DNA editing tool. With this technique, Scientists can easily change the human gene sequence.

First Trial was done on monkeys

According to sources, the trial of this treatment has been successfully conducted on monkeys. After 2 weeks of altering their DNA, the cholesterol level decreased by 59% and remained at the same level for the next 6 months. The company will begin its trial  on humans in coming months this year. But this will take time to get approval from the drug regulator.

Many challenges facing the company right now

Health experts says that the technology being used by Verve Therapeutics is so new that doctors and patients may be skeptical about adopting it. They might fear  that this may  cause  disturbance in the DNA. However company states that its treatment will be safe, it will probably be more expensive than existing drugs.

Analysts estimate that the cost of this  treatment would range between $50,000 to $200,000 per patient.

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