Crispr gene-editing booster molecule can damage DNA far from target site

A molecule designed to make Crispr-Cas9 genome editing more efficient could damage other parts of the genome.

The researchers have urged caution when using AZD7648 during genome editing and said there is a need for further investigation to clarify the extent and potential of unwanted side effects. AZD7648 is a highly potent and selective DNA-PKcs inhibitor that has attracted a lot of interest due to its ability to significantly improve the efficiency of homology-directed repair (HDR) – a process which copies information from a DNA template into a targeted locus – in both transformed cell lines and human cells.