India's indigenous CRISPR-based gene-editing therapy for sickle cell disease: innovation to equitable implementation

In November 2025, the Government of India launched BIRSA 101 (Bhagwan Birsa Munda), the country's first indigenous CRISPR-based gene-editing therapy for sickle cell disease (SCD), with the aim of a one-time curative approach.1 It was developed by CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), with technology transfer to the Serum Institute of India for future clinical development and large-scale manufacturing.2 This is an important milestone for a country with one of the highest burden of SCD.