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CRISPR eliminates HIV-1 infection in live animals

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Re: CRISPR eliminates HIV-1 infection in live animals

#61

Post by apathy »

omarchowdhury wrote: post #36
Animats wrote: post #32

Back in 2011, there was an announcement from MIT about a new approach to a broad-spectrum antiviral that appeared to work.[1] This goes way beyond an AIDS-specific cure. But it was at MIT Lincoln Labs, which doesn't usually do bio. So the researcher moved to Draper Labs, but didn't get much funding. Then that funding ran out. Now the guy behind this is trying to get funding on Indiegogo.[3] The problem seems to be th…

The funding the scientist is seeking is a pittance compared to MIT's endowment, especially considering they own his patents , they should be funding it.

under Bayh-Dole I would expect them to get 33%-33%-33% or 60%-40%, something like that? That's how it works for mine.

Re: CRISPR eliminates HIV-1 infection in live animals

#62

Post by lend000 »

dmix wrote: post #53
Animats wrote: post #32

Back in 2011, there was an announcement from MIT about a new approach to a broad-spectrum antiviral that appeared to work.[1] This goes way beyond an AIDS-specific cure. But it was at MIT Lincoln Labs, which doesn't usually do bio. So the researcher moved to Draper Labs, but didn't get much funding. Then that funding ran out. Now the guy behind this is trying to get funding on Indiegogo.[3] The problem seems to be th…

This is the type of innovation we exchange for a sense of absolute security in having highly-vetted decade-long bio R&D and extensive backlogs at the FDA for approvals to sell products on the market. It's go big or go home because the regulatory risk/timeline is so extensive. Most of these things die quietly or never get started so we never really see the true costs of what it takes to push the pharma world forward.…

> sense of absolute security

Well said -- the keyword is "sense" of security.

Re: CRISPR eliminates HIV-1 infection in live animals

#63

Post by killjoywashere »

jonmc12 wrote: post #51
Animats wrote: post #32

Back in 2011, there was an announcement from MIT about a new approach to a broad-spectrum antiviral that appeared to work.[1] This goes way beyond an AIDS-specific cure. But it was at MIT Lincoln Labs, which doesn't usually do bio. So the researcher moved to Draper Labs, but didn't get much funding. Then that funding ran out. Now the guy behind this is trying to get funding on Indiegogo.[3] The problem seems to be th…

Might point him towards Propel(x) ( https://www.propelx.com/ ). Its a newer syndicate model marketplace that focuses on "deep tech" investment. The team is knowledgable / motivated, and working to attract angels and institutional investors who understand these type of investments.

RCTs are 10-20K/patient.

Re: CRISPR eliminates HIV-1 infection in live animals

#64

Post by omarchowdhury »

quux wrote: post #39
pm90 wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be fair, they probably said the same about penicillin when it was discovered.

And in a way penicillin is too good to be true, now that bacteria are widely resistant to it and many other antibiotics.

Doesn't erase the benefit it has had up to this point.

Re: CRISPR eliminates HIV-1 infection in live animals

#65

Post by omarchowdhury »

warent wrote: post #30
ythn wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seems too good to be true

Fortunately in the late 19th century so did the prospect of Moon exploration and arrogated human knowledge in our pockets. But it's pretty standard now

Moon exploration isn't standard, but I get your point.

Re: CRISPR eliminates HIV-1 infection in live animals

#66

Post by ChuckMcM »

Animats wrote: post #32

Back in 2011, there was an announcement from MIT about a new approach to a broad-spectrum antiviral that appeared to work.[1] This goes way beyond an AIDS-specific cure. But it was at MIT Lincoln Labs, which doesn't usually do bio. So the researcher moved to Draper Labs, but didn't get much funding. Then that funding ran out. Now the guy behind this is trying to get funding on Indiegogo.[3] The problem seems to be th…

Given billionaires running their own space programs it makes me wonder why there aren't more billionaires running biologic research companies. Between life extension and immunity to (or protection from) really pathological conditions it seems like their interests would be aligned with folks like this.

Re: CRISPR eliminates HIV-1 infection in live animals

#67

Post by shoyer »

colordrops wrote: post #48
Animats wrote: post #32

Back in 2011, there was an announcement from MIT about a new approach to a broad-spectrum antiviral that appeared to work.[1] This goes way beyond an AIDS-specific cure. But it was at MIT Lincoln Labs, which doesn't usually do bio. So the researcher moved to Draper Labs, but didn't get much funding. Then that funding ran out. Now the guy behind this is trying to get funding on Indiegogo.[3] The problem seems to be th…

This antiviral is extremely promising, and it boggles the mind how this has not gotten real funding. My cynical side thinks it would cut very deep into a lot of profits for all the various viral medications for lifetime diseases such as the HIV cocktail, herpes meds, and other viral illnesses, so there isn't much upside for a large company to fund this.

Companies like Gilead have made a fortune on anti-viral cures. Case in point: their recent Hepatitis C vaccines, which pulled in $4B in one quarter last year [1]. So a lack of money to be made on cures is not why this isn't funded.

[1] https://www.statnews.com/2016/04/28/gilead-hepatitis-c-reven...

Re: CRISPR eliminates HIV-1 infection in live animals

#68

Post by barrkel »

lend000 wrote: post #62
dmix wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is the type of innovation we exchange for a sense of absolute security in having highly-vetted decade-long bio R&D and extensive backlogs at the FDA for approvals to sell products on the market. It's go big or go home because the regulatory risk/timeline is so extensive. Most of these things die quietly or never get started so we never really see the true costs of what it takes to push the pharma world forward.…

> sense of absolute security Well said -- the keyword is "sense" of security.

There's also the small matter of profiting from desperation with unproven remedies that do unknown, possibly permanent damage. There are good reasons and historical precedent for strong medicine safety regulations; it's not just bureaucracy.

Re: CRISPR eliminates HIV-1 infection in live animals

#69

Post by FiatLuxDave »

Animats wrote: post #32

Back in 2011, there was an announcement from MIT about a new approach to a broad-spectrum antiviral that appeared to work.[1] This goes way beyond an AIDS-specific cure. But it was at MIT Lincoln Labs, which doesn't usually do bio. So the researcher moved to Draper Labs, but didn't get much funding. Then that funding ran out. Now the guy behind this is trying to get funding on Indiegogo.[3] The problem seems to be th…

He also coincidentally happens to be the guy who wrote a dissertation on why beam-collision nuclear fusion reactors won't work as a viable path towards self-sustaining nuclear fusion: https://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/11412

Since I was doing a startup making a beam-collision nuclear fusion reactor at the time, the name kind of rings a bell...

Re: CRISPR eliminates HIV-1 infection in live animals

#70

Post by Malic »

rosalinekarr wrote: post #23

For anyone unfamiliar with CRISPR, I strongly recommend this quick introduction video from Kurzgesagt on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAhjPd4uNFY

I'll add a nod to the Kurzgesagt CRISPR video recommendation. It is really nice introduction to the discovery of CAS9, CRISPR as a DNA editing technique, and the fast evolving possibilities of CRISPR.
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