WASHINGTON (AP) — Scientists are testing an entirely new way to fight heart disease: a gene-editing treatment that might offer a one-time fix for high cholesterol.It’s very early stage research, tried in only a few dozen people so far. But gene-editing approaches being developed by two companies show hints that switching off certain genes could dramatically lower artery-clogging cholesterol, raising hopes of one day being able to prevent heart attacks without having to take pills.“People want a fix, not a bandage,” said Dr. Luke Laffin, a preventive cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic. After co-authoring a promising study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, he said he was flooded with queries about how to participate in the next clinical trial.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementEveryone needs a certain amount of cholesterol. But too much, especially a “bad” kind called LDL cholesterol, builds plaque in the artery walls and is a main driver of heart attacks and strokes. Cardiovascular disease is the nation’s — and world’s — leading killer.Millions take cholesterol-lowering medicines such as statins, the cornerstone of treatment. But many still struggle to lower their cholesterol enough, and sticking with the drugs for life is difficult, with some quitting because of side effects.Why genes matter for cholesterolWhile your diet contributes, your liver produces the cholesterol your body needs, according to the American Heart Association, and genes play a role in how it’s managed. Some people inherit genes that trigger very high cholesterol. Others have cholesterol that’s naturally extremely low over their lifetime and seldom develop heart disease.Years ago, Dr. Kiran Musunuru, a cardiologist now at the University of Pennsylvan …
