What is a 'Baby KJ' and why is she making medical history?
She became the first person ever to receive a gene-editing treatment designed specifically for her.
The answer
In 2025, an infant known as Baby KJ became the first person in history to receive a personalized gene-editing treatment - a bespoke therapy designed and manufactured specifically for her unique genetic mutation. Unlike existing gene therapies that target common mutations shared by many patients, KJ's treatment was a one-of-a-kind drug tailored to correct her specific DNA error. This milestone, highlighted as one of MIT Technology Review's 2026 Breakthrough Technologies, signals a future where gene-editing drugs could be customized for individual patients. A clinical trial building on this approach is now planned, with personalized gene-editing therapies potentially reaching broader approval within a few years.
Source: MIT Technology Review
- gene-editing
- personalized-medicine
- crispr
- biotech
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