Child died in Chinese biotech firm's gene editing trial

A child with Duchenne muscular dystrophy died after receiving a gene-editing therapy developed by Shanghai-based HuidaGene Therapeutics, the company said in a statement on Aug 5. The death occurred in August 2025 and was attributed to acute respiratory distress syndrome as part of a severe immune reaction to the therapy. HuidaGene did not identify the patient, but clinical trial records show the study enrolled only 4- to 8-year-old boys. The disclosure follows a months-long investigation by STAT News. The firm did not immediately respond to questions on next steps for the therapy. The announcement comes weeks after Science revealed the previously unreported death of a young girl in a separate investigator-initiated trial. Chinese authorities and the Shanghai university affiliated with the study have since launched probes. The patient was the fourth and last participant to receive HuidaGene's HG302, which uses modified viruses known as adeno-associated virus vectors to deliver DNA-editing components to cells. The patient also received a high dose. HuidaGene said the fatal event was reported through the hospital's ethics and study-oversight processes within the applicable reporting time frame. The analysis was submitted for peer review in January and findings will be shared upon publication.