CRISPR CLIP: comprehensive reviews on interventional studies using precision recombinant technologies: clinical...

To consolidate clinical trials that utilized the CRISPR technology to synthesise cures for various genetic diseases as a means to provide a window into the progress made so far while paving the way forward for future research and practices. Systematic review (PROSPERO CRD42023479511). Trials from seven databases' (ClinicalTrials.gov, European Union Clinical Trials Registry, ISRCTN registry, ICTRP/trialsearch.who.int, ChiCTR.org.cn, Clinical Trial Registry India, and Cochrane Library/Trials) inception to 9 March 2024, were considered. Exclusion criteria were unrelated, duplicated, non-English, unavailable full texts, diagnostic studies, correlational studies, observational studies, abstract-only papers, reviews or conference papers. Included studies were appraised using the ten-item CASP tool to assess methodological quality. The review identified 82 RCTs utilizing CRISPR and revealed four main themes: Diseases targeted, Countries of Clinical trials, Type of interventions, and Trial trends over the years. Geographically, the United States and China lead in the number of CRISPR clinical trials, followed by the European Union. However, Africa, Asia, and South America have very few trials. Among disease classes, cancer is the most prevalent focus with 39 studies, followed by monogenetic blood diseases, like Thalassemia and sickle cell anaemia. The biological agent CTX001 and Cyclophosphamide each feature in 11 studies. The peak year for clinical trials was 2018, marked by a significant increase with 16 studies conducted. Despite conducting a comprehensive search, the majority of trials were concentrated in the United States and China. Additionally, potential oversights due to vague titles, English-only studies, and indexing issues may have occurred. Nonetheless, by incorporating data from seven distinct databases, this review significantly contributes to understanding CRISPR's utilization in therapeutic clinical trials, paving the way for future research directions. The review underscores the burgeoning interest in CRISPR-based interventions. Current trials barely tap CRISPR's potential for treating genetic diseases.