CRISPR Technology in Antiviral Therapy: Advancements, Applications, and Implications

Abstract Antiviral therapy application is limited by the issues of drug resistance and side effects, which reduced their efficacy in chronic infections such as human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus. However, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) technology has a revolutionary solution to provide precise genome editing and immune modulation to target and modify viral genomes. Cas9 and Cas13 provide a possibility for therapy against viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 and herpes viruses, while CRISPR-based diagnostics guarantee fast and accurate viral detection. Lipid nanoparticles and exosome-based carriers are novel delivery systems that offer safety and efficacy toward CRISPR payload delivery, while reducing off-target effects and immune activation. Contributions from India, such as the project called the FnCas9 editor linked uniform detection assay diagnostic test, put this technology firmly on the map. However, regulatory gaps, ethical pointers, and infrastructural limitations hamper its full-fledged implementation. Implementation of various efforts toward achievement of better delivery systems with delivery safety concerns should go together with enhanced multidisciplinary research. Robust regulatory frameworks, increased funding, and global collaboration are essential to accelerating the use of CRISPR in clinical practice. CRISPR will have revolutionized the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of viral diseases, providing safer and better alternatives to traditional antiviral regimes. This breakthrough provides a pathway for combating the ever-evolving viruses and improving the lives of patients across the globe.