Gene therapy could treat rare brain disorder in unborn babies

Doctors could use Crispr tool to inject benign virus into foetus's brain to 'switch on' key genes

Scientists are developing a radical form of gene therapy that could cure a devastating medical disorder by mending mutations in the brains of foetuses in the womb.

The treatment, which has never been attempted before, would involve doctors injecting the feotus's brain with a harmless virus that infects the neurons and delivers a suite of molecules that correct the genetic faults.