Gene Therapies Could Target Cholesterol Risk
Scribe's two investigational liver-targeted treatments will be presented in Chicago in November 2026, with human data still early.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Biotech
Scribe Therapeutics will present preclinical data on two investigational therapies, STX-1150 and STX-1200, at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in Chicago on November 7, 2026. Both remain research-stage: STX-1150 is in a first-in-human Phase 1 trial, while STX-1200 is a CRISPR-based prototype.
Why it matters
The presentations extend a broader push to lower cardiovascular risk by targeting genes in the liver rather than relying solely on ongoing drug dosing. Scribe is pursuing two distinct approaches, epigenetic silencing and gene editing, which reflects competing strategies for durable cholesterol and lipoprotein(a) control.
The disclosed evidence is preclinical, with the only quantified result being LDL-C control lasting at least two years in non-human primates. No human efficacy figures or comparisons against existing therapies were given for either program.
The players
Scribe Therapeutics
A clinical-stage biotechnology company listed on Nasdaq as SCTX, building CRISPR-based and epigenetic gene therapies with collaborations with Sanofi and Eli Lilly.
Jennifer Doudna
A Nobel Prize-winning biochemist who co-developed CRISPR gene editing and co-founded Scribe Therapeutics.
American Heart Association
A leading U.S. cardiovascular research and advocacy organization that hosts the annual Scientific Sessions.
The details
STX-1150 uses epigenetic silencing, a method that switches off the PCSK9 gene's activity, PCSK9 being a protein that reduces the liver's ability to clear LDL cholesterol, without altering the underlying DNA sequence. STX-1200 instead uses CRISPR, a gene-editing system that makes precise cuts in DNA, to edit the LPA gene in the liver, which lowers lipoprotein(a), a cholesterol-carrying particle linked to heart disease risk. Because the first approach changes gene expression rather than the genetic code itself, it is designed to be reversible in principle, though that property is not established in humans.
Timeline
November 6, 2026: CEO Benjamin Oakes participates in two sessions of the AHA Innovation Forum in Chicago.
November 7, 2026: Late-breaking presentations on STX-1150 and STX-1200 at the AHA Scientific Sessions.
November 6-9, 2026: American Heart Association Scientific Sessions run in Chicago.
The Tech Race
Scribe's STX-1200 sits within the CRISPR-based cardiovascular programs being developed by companies drawing on Doudna's foundational work. Its epigenetic STX-1150 represents a separate competing approach to the same liver-targeting cholesterol problem.
These therapies are not available to patients; both remain investigational, with STX-1150 in a Phase 1 trial and STX-1200 at the prototype stage. Any eventual access would depend on trial outcomes, and no timeline or pricing has been announced.
The takeaway
The key trajectory is that cardiovascular risk may be addressed by one-time liver-targeted genetic interventions rather than repeated dosing. Watch the November 7, 2026 AHA presentations for the first detailed data on STX-1150 and STX-1200.
What happens next
Scribe's late-breaking STX-1150 and STX-1200 presentations are scheduled for November 7, 2026 at the AHA Scientific Sessions in Chicago.
Further reading
For broader context on the field, explore Biotech coverage across California.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Manila times.
