First human trials of designer protein therapies stun US neuroscientists

Chinese researchers are conducting at least seven clinical trials using DREADDs, a chemogenetic therapy developed 20 years ago that uses designer proteins to suppress neuronal activity, treating conditions like intractable epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and neuropathic pain. The trials have surprised US neuroscientists because the technology, while widely used in research, had never before been tested in human patients due to commercial and safety barriers. DREADDs offer potential advantages over existing treatments by targeting only introduced receptors with minimal off-target effects, though gene therapy approaches carry inherent risks including possible immune reactions.