Patient dies in China biotech company’s gene editing trial

Though the company didn’t identify or provide details about the patient, clinical trial records suggest the study enrolled 4- to 8-year-old boys

A patient with Duchenne muscular dystrophy died after receiving a gene-editing therapy in China, sparking new concerns about regulatory oversight and transparency as China seeks to cement its position as a biotechnology leader.In a statement Wednesday, the treatment’s developer, Shanghai-based HuidaGene Therapeutics, attributed the Aug 2025 death to acute respiratory distress syndrome as part of a severe immune reaction to the therapy. Though the company didn’t identify or provide details about the patient, clinical trial records suggest the study enrolled 4- to 8-year-old boys.HuidaGene’s disclosure follows a months-long probe by STAT News. The firm did not respond to questions on next steps for the therapy. The announcement also comes weeks after Science revealed the previously unreported death of a girl in a separate investigator-initiated trial, a type of study led by researchers rather than pharmaceutical companies. Chinese authorities have since launched probes.