Birsa 101 CRISPR Gene Therapy

Why in News?

Recently, The Ministry of Tribal Affairs, along with CSIR and CSIR‑IGIB, held a workshop on Birsa‑101, during the Janjatiya Gaurav Utsav 2026.

• Birsa‑101 – India’s first indigenous CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) based gene therapy for Sickle Cell Disease (SCD).
• Nomenclature – Named after Bhagwan Birsa Munda, marking his 150^th birth anniversary.
• Developed by – CSIR‑IGIB (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology), with support from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
• Technological framework – Transferred to Serum Institute of India for manufacturing.
• Key Features - It works like a precise genetic surgery, capable not only of curing Sickle Cell Disease but also transforming treatment pathways for several hereditary disorders.
• Uses engineered enFnCas9, a sharper and safer molecular tool than SpCas9 used in Casgevy.

enFnCas9 – (enhanced Francisella novicida Cas9) is a next-generation CRISPR gene-editing platform engineered for ultra-high specificity and efficiency.

SpCas9 (Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9) is the most widely used CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing enzyme.

• Genome‑wide assays showed up to 1,000‑fold fewer off‑target events compared to conventional CRISPR tools.

Genome-wide assays scan an organism's entire DNA sequence at once. This allows scientists to identify genetic mutations, measure gene activity, and map molecular interactions across the whole genome.

• Mechanism of Action
  • Direct Root Correction – Birsa 101 corrects the single genetic misprint causing sickle cell disease.
  • Stem Cell Editing – The therapy extracts and edits blood-forming stem cells from the patient's bone marrow to fix the defect.
  • Permanent Cure – Engrafted cells produce healthy blood for patient’s lifetime subject to long‑term clinical follow‑up.
• Affordability - It is designed to be more affordable than expensive foreign gene therapies like Casgevy and Lyfgenia.
• National Mission – India aims to eliminate sickle cell disease by 2047, heavily focusing on tribal welfare across critical belts like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha.

Quick Facts

References

1. India Education Diary | Birsa 101
2. ORF | Birsa 101
3. India Today | Birsa 101