An early human study of a CRISPR‑based therapy from CRISPR Therapeutics produced pronounced reductions in LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in a small cohort, raising the prospect of durable, one‑time genetic treatments for atherosclerotic risk. The report—presented at an American Heart Association meeting and published in the New England Journal of Medicine—covered just 15 patients but showed striking biomarker responses. Investigators flagged safety signals, notably potential liver toxicity, that demand careful follow‑up and larger safety datasets before commercialization can be considered. Researchers stressed the contrast between the promise of single‑dose genome editing for chronic cardiometabolic conditions and the ethical, regulatory and clinical questions about permanent edits for widespread diseases. The results renewed debate about patient acceptance of permanent editing versus repeat dosing with injectables or oral drugs, and underscored the need for robust long‑term surveillance plans.