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Chinese scientist probed after death linked to experimental gene therapy
The case centers on a six-year-old who died days after receiving an experimental base-editing treatment in March last year, with her parents citing a fatal immune reaction.
South China Morning Post reports that a leading Chinese scientist is being investigated by his university after a six-year-old girl, named Mei, reportedly died following experimental gene-editing therapy.
According to a report published by Science, citing a joint investigation with Retraction Watch, Mei died days after treatment intended to correct a genetic mutation affecting her neurodevelopment, which was administered in March last year.
Her parents said she suffered a fatal immune reaction after her medical team infused trillions of viruses carrying the recipe for a base editor into her spinal fluid, with Science and Retraction Watch describing the death as linked to a severe immune response to the therapy.
The article says Xinhua Hospital, affiliated with the university, paid a small fine of around 24,000 yuan, about US$3,500, to local health authorities last September, while the scientist, identified as Qiu, faced no public sanctions at the time.