Therapeutic Gene Editing: DNA Repair Pathways, Emerging Editors, and Clinical Progress

The field of gene editing has evolved rapidly over the past decade, progressing from programmable zinc‐finger nucleases (ZFNs) and transcription activator‐like effector nucleases (TALENs) to the widespread adoption of CRISPR‐Cas systems. First‐generation editors catalyzed genome engineering by introducing targeted double‐strand breaks (DSBs), relying on cellular DNA repair pathways for their therapeutic outcomes. Newer tools, including base editors and prime editors, bypass error‐prone DSB repair, enabling precise and flexible genetic modification. These innovations are propelling gene editing from research to clinical translation. This review summarizes these technological developments and key mechanisms behind these advances highlighting emerging strategies for precision gene editing therapy.