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The gene-editing future of medicine is fast approaching—or at least it’s beginning to feel that way—but one of the companies working on that future is openly wondering: When it gets here, is anyone going to be able to pay for it?
On Monday, a company called Intellia became the second pharmaceutical startup focused on using the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technique to announce its intentions to become publicly traded. CRISPR allows for the targeted modification or deletion of genes, which could eventually open up an entirely new branch of medicine.
In its public filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the company said it’s currently working on four specific CRISPR therapies that can treat liver diseases in adult humans. Importantly, the company said it won’t be able to return profits to investors if insurance companies don’t agree to cover its therapies.
“The success of our product candidates, if approved, depends on the availability of adequate coverage and reimbursement from third-party payors,” the company wrote. “Because our product candidates represent new approaches to the treatment of genetic-based diseases, we cannot...