Why in news?
BIRSA 101 is India's first indigenous CRISPR-based gene therapy developed to treat Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). Named after the tribal leader Birsa Munda on his 150th birth anniversary.
 
Key features of BIRSA 101

• Developed by the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research - Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB) and transferred to Serum Institute of India for scalable production.
• Uses the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing tool, specifically a guided Cas protein (enFnCas9) that precisely corrects the single-nucleotide mutation in the HBB gene responsible for the disease.
• Delivered as a one-time infusion, aiming to enable the patient's body to produce normal red blood cells instead of sickle-shaped ones.
• Priced significantly lower than global CRISPR therapies to ensure accessibility to poorer populations.
• Designed to contribute to the vision of a "Sickle-Cell-Free Nation" by 2047, particularly benefiting underserved tribal populations in central and eastern India.​

Sickle Cell Disease

• Sickle Cell Disease itself is a genetic blood disorder causing red blood cells to become rigid and sickle-shaped, leading to anemia, pain crises, infections, and organ damage.
• The disease is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern, and carriers can unknowingly spread the defective gene.​

BIRSA 101 marks India's entry into advanced gene therapies, leveraging CRISPR technology for precise, efficient, and cost-effective genome editing, positioning India as a global leader in this advanced medical field.​

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