Gene Therapy News

Researchers, FDA Evaluating Experimental Gene Therapy Procedures for Mesothelioma Treatment

According to the BBC (November 2012), geneticists, scientists and the entire medical profession are applauding the European Commission for bringing ‘a new era to medicine in the Western world’ by approving Glycera, a Dutch gene therapy medicine for treating a rare, inherited disorder known as LPLD. While gene therapy has been gaining momentum for years since French scientists first used it in 2000 to treat a rare immune disorder called SCID, Glycera’s approval may be the breakthrough needed to move gene therapy to sufferers of other rare diseases such as mesothelioma.

Researchers show that lipid nanoparticles are ideal for delivering genes and drugs

UPV/EHU-University of the Basque Country researchers are using nanotechnology for therapeutic purposes.

This shows the expression of the retinoschisis protein (green) after the transfection of a cell line of retina pigment epithelium (ARPE-19) with a lipid nanoparticle-based formulation with the RS1 gene....

Gene therapy to aid lung transplants

“Donated lungs that have to be discarded because they are not good enough for transplant can now be repaired and made suitable for patients,”The Times has reported.

The study behind the news looks at an experimental gene therapy technique that has been tested on pig and human lungs. Under this technique, a gene known as IL-10 is introduced into the lung tissue cells to alter their behaviour. The research showed that in experimental conditions the gene combatted the damaging inflammation that sometimes causes problems in lung transplants.

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