Using CRISPR to Target RNA Instead of DNA

The gene editing technology CRISPR-Cas9 is being harnessed to alter DNA, but Locanabio is using it to create a new class of genetic medicines that can precisely target and modify dysfunctional RNA. The company says that its approach will allow it to produce in vivo medicines that combine the specificity of RNA-binding proteins with the effect of a one-time gene therapy. We spoke to Jim Burns, CEO of Locanabio, about its platform technology, the benefits of using CRISPR to target disease-causing RNA, and why this approach could be applied to a broad range of genetic diseases.