A Nature-published study describes a CRISPR-Cas9 editing approach that changes a single amino acid in the FREP1 gene of Anopheles mosquitoes, rendering them unable to transmit malaria without affecting mosquito survival. The system uses an allelic-drive to propagate the protective variant through wild populations. This innovative genetic strategy offers an alternative to existing gene drives by reshaping mosquito populations rather than suppressing them or inserting foreign genes, potentially impacting malaria control efforts.