CRISPR, base editing, prime editing, and epigenetic editingTermEpigenetic editingTargeted regulation of gene expression without changing the underlying DNA sequence.In glossary → expand what medicine can rewrite, regulate, or silence.
Sources: [1]Reference 1FDA CRISPR therapy approvalU.S. FDA CASGEVY approval materialsRegulatory source for approved ex vivo CRISPR therapy indications.[2]Reference 2Exa-cel clinical evidenceFrangoul et al., New England Journal of Medicine, 2024Clinical outcomes source for exagamglogene autotemcel in severe sickle cell disease.
Key facts
- Portal
- Genetic Modification
- Stage
- Clinical and emerging
- Evidence
- Clinical practice
- Reversible
- Difficult to reverse
- Reviewed
- Jun 2026
- Read time
- 8 min
Contents
Page status
Needs delivery-system comparison table · Needs current approved-product examples
Key takeaways
- The editing enzyme is only half the product; delivery determines where it can work.
- Ex vivo editing is easier to control than in vivo editing, but less convenient.
- Future aging applications will depend on targets with clear risk-benefit math.
Platform map
Nuclease editing cuts DNA. Base editing changes individual letters without a double-strand break. Prime editing can write more flexible edits. Epigenetic editingTermEpigenetic editingTargeted regulation of gene expression without changing the underlying DNA sequence.In glossary → can tune gene expression without altering the underlying sequence.
These platforms are not interchangeable. Each has a different error profile, payload size, delivery constraint, and reversibility model.
Human deployment
Ex vivo workflows edit cells outside the body and return them after quality control. In vivo workflows deliver editors directly into tissues, which can be more scalable but harder to recall.
For future human enhancement, the barrier is not merely technical capability. Durable edits for low-risk conditions require extremely high confidence because harms can be permanent.
Open questions
- Which editing method fits which disease and delivery route?
- How is durability of an edit confirmed over a lifetime?
Watchlist
Signals that would move this entry along the evidence scale.
Key terms
References
- FDA CRISPR therapy approval. U.S. FDA CASGEVY approval materials Regulatory source for approved ex vivo CRISPR therapy indications.
- Exa-cel clinical evidence. Frangoul et al., New England Journal of Medicine, 2024 Clinical outcomes source for exagamglogene autotemcel in severe sickle cell disease.
Cite this page
Future Human Atlas. “Gene Editing Platforms.” Last reviewed Jun 2026. https://futurehumanwiki.com/articles/gene-editing-platforms