The CRISPR field saw divergent news: a promising in‑vivo cholesterol editing readout was published days after Intellia reported a fatality in its MAGNITUDE Phase III program and an FDA clinical‑hold review. Industry observers cautioned regulators would inspect delivery platforms and safety signals closely while developers pressed forward. The juxtaposition underscored the field’s high reward–high risk profile. Separately, researchers and companies continue to adapt CRISPR delivery strategies to overcome constraints of recombinant AAV (rAAV) vectors—pushing compact Cas variants and alternative delivery approaches to fit within rAAV payload limits. Clarification: rAAV vectors are commonly used viral capsids for gene delivery but impose size limits on cargo, driving innovation in smaller CRISPR components.