Editas Medicine Lays Off 65% Staff, Ends Sickle Cell Therapy, Refocuses on In Vivo CRISPR

Editas Medicine is undergoing a massive workforce reduction, laying off approximately 65% or 180 employees, including key figures such as its Chief Medical Officer and two board members. This drastic cutback is a consequence of the company's unsuccessful attempt to secure a commercial partner for its sickle cell disease therapy, known as reni-cel, which has now been discontinued[1][2]. This restructuring aims to extend the company's financial reserves until 2027 and shift focus toward "in vivo" CRISPR gene-editing strategies, which CEO Gilmore O’Neill believes will position Editas as a leader in this innovative field[1]. Despite this pivot being the company's second major strategic shift, it aligns with the growing interest and approval of similar CRISPR therapies by competitors[2].