Aaron Traywick, a biohacker known for his unorthodox approach to biomedical research, injected himself with a DIY herpes treatment on stage at a biohacking conference in Austin.
The 28-year-old CEO of biotech firm Ascendance Biomedical said he was trying out an experimental gene-altering therapy developed by his company which had not undergone testing, the Verge noted.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has previously warned consumers about do-it-yourself gene therapies, Buzzfeed noted, but Traywick did not pay any heed to this when he jabbed the needle into his thigh.
The treatment was developed by another biohacker, Andreas Stuermer, who according to his conference bio, "holds a master's degree and is a bioentrepreneur and science lover."
According to The Verge, the company has maintained that having biohackers experimenting on themselves could speed up the developments of medical treatments being slowed down by the FDA's regulations.
Traywick, who caught herpes five years ago, said that he was promoting transparency in science by becoming a guinea pig for the disease's experimental treatment.
"I do what has to be done for the science to move forward, and for other people to feel free enough to be able to seek interventions for themselves," he told BuzzFeed News.
Stuermer told Gizmodo that academia was taking too long to bring a herpes vaccine to the market, adding that "you definitely have to do your due diligence, but this specific virus has been proven to be safe for 20 or 30 years."
Speaking at the conference over the weekend, Traywick highlighted the importance of not delaying the treatment.
"Luckily I have herpes, so I volunteered myself to make our narrative and our production schedule," he said per Gizmodo.
A blood test will reveal whether the treatment was successful or not.
"If we succeed with herpes in even the most minor ways, we can proceed with cancer," Traywick said.
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