Posted on: 7 June 2013, source: WADA
Leading experts in gene therapy, scientists from the field of anti-doping, and sport ethicists joined WADA’s Gene Doping Panel at the Agency’s Fourth Gene and Cell Doping Symposium, held June 5-6 in Beijing to review recent achievements in the field and share the most promising approaches in doping detection under development. Organized with the support of the China Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA) and Beijing Olympic City Development Association (BODA), the Symposium attracted more than 70 international participants. Sixteen invited speakers included international experts who either study the latest advances in the field of gene therapy and gene doping detection methods, or are involved in related WADA-funded research projects. The 2013 Symposium was the first to dedicate a formal session to cell therapy and doping.

Posted on: 30 May 2013, source: European Commission
The European Commission should prepare a report on the application of Regulation (EC) No 1394/2007 on advanced therapy medicinal products. With a view to prepare this report, the Commission services launched a public consultation on 20 December 2012. Stakeholders were invited to provide their views on the requirements to obtain a marketing authorisation for an ATMP (including for combined ATMPs), on the application of the so-called hospital exemption, on the incentives provided for in the ATMP Regulation, as well as on the scope thereof and its adaptation to technical progress. The number of contributions received was 63.

Posted on: 23 May 2013, source: News Medical
The scientists who led the team that developed Glybera, the first gene therapy drug approved for use in the Western world, provide a fascinating first-person account of their pioneering work in Human Gene Therapy, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. In addition, an in-depth Review revealing the inside story of the European regulatory review and approval of Glybera—chock full of twists and turns, politics, and intrigue— and critiquing the groundbreaking drug's path to the marketplace appears in Human Gene Therapy Clinical Development. Both articles are available free on the Human Gene Therapy website.

Posted on: 13 May 2013, source: EMA
The European Medicines Agency has recently published a draft guideline on the clinical investigation of medicinal products for the treatment of Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy. Recent advances in basic and clinical research have opened new perspectives for future therapeutic options in Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy (DBMD). As most of the cases of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) have an onset in early childhood, while the onset of Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) covers a broader age spectrum, specific difficulties have been identified that pertain to diagnostic criteria, age- and stage related clinical relevance and different safety aspects.

Posted on: 12 May 2013, source: Gene Therapy Office
The aim of the governmental Gene Therapy Office is to streamline the licensing and permit granting procedures for clinical gene therapy studies in The Netherlands and to provide more insight into the procedures for investigators. The Gene Therapy Office is primarily a service for professionals conducting clinical gene therapy research involving human subjects. The official website is www.loketgentherapie.nl.

Posted on: 28 March 2013, source: MedPageToday
Researchers reported encouraging but preliminary results of gene-based immune therapy in two children with relapsed and refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Both children achieved a remission after they were given T cells modified to attack B cells bearing the surface protein CD19, according to Stephan A. Grupp, MD, PhD, of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and colleagues.

Posted on: 28 February 2013, source: Lentigen
Lentigen Corporation, a biotechnology company specializing in the development and manufacture of lentiviral gene delivery products, announced today that that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug status to P140K methylguanine methyltransferase (MGMT) transduced human CD34 cells (product name: LG631-CD34) for bone marrow protection in the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme. Orphan drug designation qualifies Lentigen for seven years of market exclusivity following marketing approval by the FDA and provides other development-related incentives.

Posted on: 5 February 2013, source: Molecular Therapy
In the latest issue of the journal Molecular Therapy, Professor Jacques P. Tremblay (president of the Association of Gene Therapy of Quebec and researcher in the Research center of the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) of Quebec) launches a call - with 50 other world experts in gene therapy - for the creation of an International Gene Therapy Consortium for Monogenic Diseases. The bases of this consortium will be established during a workshop, which will be held during the congress of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ASGCT) in Salt Lake City in May 2013.

Posted on: 1 February 2013, source: PlosBlogs
By Ricki Lewis - I am astonished, once again, by the complexity and unpredictability of science. Last week, a paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS) reported that gene therapy to treat a form of blindness called Leber congenital amaurosis type 2 (LCA2) doesn’t stop degeneration of the rods and cones – the photoreceptor cells that provide vision. Gene therapy sends genetic instructions for a protein called RPE65 into a layer of cells that supports the rods and cones – the retinal pigment epithelium, or RPE. The protein is essential for the eye to use vitamin A. And the gene therapy works, so far.

Posted on: 24 January 2013, source: Sinq
Chalk up another victory for gene therapy. A recent clinical trial has shown that gene therapy can be used to extend the lives of children with a rare brain disorder that typically proves fatal in the first few years of life. The oldest child to benefit from this reversal of fortune has reached an amazing 18 years of age.

Posted on: 17 January 2013, source: NewsMedical
Usually, results from a new study help scientists inch their way toward an answer whether they are battling a health problem or are on the verge of a technological breakthrough. Once in a while, those results give them a giant leap forward. In a preliminary study in a canine model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), University of Missouri scientists showed exactly such a leap using gene therapy to treat muscular dystrophy. The results of the study will be published in the journal Molecular Therapy on Jan. 15, 2013.

Posted on: 11 January 2013, source: ExtremeTech
Disease is on the run! An incredible advance in the realm of gene therapy has been made by top researchers in the US and Sweden. A single enzyme from a bacteria’s immune system can effectively be used to locate specific sections of DNA in a living cell. From there, entire genes can be neutralized or replaced with superior sections of DNA. Clearly, we are on the brink of gene therapy becoming a common and highly effective treatment for terrible diseases like AIDS and cancer.

Posted on: 14 December 2012, source: National Cancer Institute
Researchers from The Johns Hopkins University and Northwestern University have discovered how to control the shape of nanoparticles that move DNA through the body and have shown that the shapes of these carriers may make a big difference in how well they work in treating cancer and other diseases. The results of this study, which were published in the journal Advanced Materials ("Plasmid-Templated Shape Control of Condensed DNA–Block Copolymer Nanoparticles"), are also noteworthy because this gene therapy technique does not use a virus to carry DNA into cells. “These nanoparticles could become a safer and more effective delivery vehicle for gene therapy targeting cancer and other illnesses than can be treated with gene medicine,” said Hai-Quan Mao, of Johns Hopkins, who, together with Erik Luijten of Northwestern, led this research.

Posted on: 23 November 2012, source: CliniGene
This book provides a reference for state-of-the-art gene transfer technology as of 2012 and the different aspects of its clinical translation with a focus on European-based initiatives. As examples of successful outcomes, recent clinical trials are presented together with ethical, safety and legal issues, which are discussed. This book is ideal for researchers, clinical investigarors, post-graduate fellows, undergraduate scholars, regulators, patients' advocacy groups and policy-makers, looking for state-of-the-art information as well as emerging prospects - including gene targeting and homologous recombination - for gene transfer intended for clinical translation. List of authors and table of contents.

Gene Therapy Net members can order now for a reduced price of 80 € (public price: 95 €).

Posted on: 2 November 2012, source: uniQure
uniQure announced today it has received approval from the European Commission for the gene therapy Glybera® (alipogene tiparvovec), a treatment for patients with lipoprotein lipase deficiency (LPLD, also called familial hyperchylomicronemia) suffering from recurring acute pancreatitis. Patients with LPLD, a very rare, inherited disease, are unable to metabolize the fat particles carried in their blood, which leads to inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), an extremely serious, painful, and potentially lethal condition. The approval makes Glybera the first gene therapy approved by regulatory authorities in the Western world.

Posted on: 18 October 2012, source: Nanowerk News
Researchers from Johns Hopkins and Northwestern universities have discovered how to control the shape of nanoparticles that move DNA through the body and have shown that the shapes of these carriers may make a big difference in how well they work in treating cancer and other diseases. This study, published in the Oct. 12 online edition of Advanced Materials is also noteworthy because this gene therapy technique does not use a virus to carry DNA into cells. Some gene therapy efforts that rely on viruses have posed health risks.

Posted on: 25 September 2012, source: PharmTech
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has abolished its Cell-based Product Working Party (CPWP) and Gene Therapy Working Party (GTWP), with the aim of improving efficiencies and optimizing the use of available expertise. Instead, EMA’s Committee for Advanced Therapies (CAT) will be assuming the lead role in all aspects concerning the development of advanced-therapy medicines in Europe, including developing guidelines, organizing workshops and establishing ad-hoc draft groups as and when required to develop specific guidance documents. Guidance documents already being developed by CPWP or GTWP will be taken over by the new drafting groups

Posted on: 12 September 2012, source: Healthcare Globa
Researchers enhance gene therapy approach for children with adenosine deaminase (ADA)-deficient severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) using chemotherapy as conditioning regimen. For the first time, investigators test two different viral vectors to transport normal genes into the young patients' bone marrow stem cells and two different treatment plans in preparation for receiving gene therapy and compare outcomes.

Posted on: 3 September 2012, source: News-Medical
Scientists have restored the sense of smell in mice through gene therapy for the first time -- a hopeful sign for people who can't smell anything from birth or lose it due to disease. The achievement in curing congenital anosmia -- the medical term for lifelong inability to detect odors -- may also aid research on other conditions that also stem from problems with the cilia. Those tiny hair-shaped structures on the surfaces of cells throughout the body are involved in many diseases, from the kidneys to the eyes. The new findings, published online in Nature Medicine, come from a team at the University of Michigan Medical School and their colleagues at several other institutions

Posted on: 22 August 2012, source: The Independent
The London Olympics may turn out to be one of the cleanest in history in terms of banned substances – but behind the scenes, scientists fear the next big challenge to fair play in sport: gene doping. Over the past decade, scientific advances in the understanding of how genes control muscle activity have alarmed experts within the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) who believe that using genes, rather than drugs, will be the next way illicitly to boost athletic performance without fear of detection.

Posted on: 22 July 2012, source: TodayOnline
European regulators have recommended approval of the Western world's first gene therapy drug - after rejecting it on three previous occasions - in a significant advance for the novel medical technology. More than 20 years since the first experiments with the ground-breaking method for fixing faulty genes, scientists and drug companies are still struggling to apply gene therapy in practice. Friday's decision by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is a win for the drug's maker, the small Dutch biotech company uniQure, and a potential lifeline for patients with the ultra rare genetic disorder lipoprotein lipase deficiency (LPLD).

Posted on: 5 July 2012, source: GEN
Scientists have developed an siRNA-carrying gold nanoparticle that they claim can be mixed with a commercial moisturizing cream to enable the topical delivery of gene-targeting therapeutics directly into deep skin layers. The Northwestern University team says the platform could lead to the development of topical forms of gene therapy for diseases such as skin cancer, inflammation, and genetic skin disorders.

Posted on: 20 June 2012, source: Boston Herald
Cambridge-based genetic disorder drug maker bluebird bio said today it has received an orphan drug designation from both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency for its investigational gene therapy designed to treat adrenoleukodystrophy. Known as ALD, adrenoleukodystrophy is a rare, inherited disorder that leads to progressive brain damage, failure of the adrenal glands and ultimately death. The company said it plans to initiate a Phase 2/3 clinical study in childhood cerebral ALD in both the U.S. and Europe next year.

Posted on: 7 June 2012, source: GEN
The principal U.S. professional society representing gene therapists is awaiting word from NIH about whether or not there will be re-examination of the role of its Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee (RAC). They aim to limit its longstanding role in clinical trials while continuing its service as a forum for discussing and educating professionals on policy issues. The American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ASGCT) touched off the debate earlier this year, when its president and her predecessor conveyed the society’s view that RAC should focus on broader issues rather than review the clinical protocols of individual researchers. They sent a letter to Amy Patterson, M.D., director of NIH’s Office of Biotechnology Activities (OBA), and issued a statement seven days later at a RAC meeting.

Posted on: 6 June 2012, source: The Scientist
The concept is simple: if a mutated gene is causing a problem, replace or supplement it with a new, accurate copy. In theory, such a strategy could not just treat, but cure countless human genetic diseases. In practice, however, developing safe and effective gene therapies has not been easy. Even when identifying a disorder’s genetic basis is fairly straightforward, finding the appropriate delivery vector to target the diseased tissues in the body, while avoiding unintended consequences, has challenged would-be gene therapists for more than 20 years. But more and more researchers are convinced that the technique is on the brink of becoming a common medical practice.

Posted on: 31 May 2012, source: PipelineReview
RetroSense Therapeutics, a gene therapy company dedicated to vision restoration, announced completion of a pre-IND meeting with the Center for Biological Evaluation and Research (CBER) division of the FDA that took place on May 22nd 2012 regarding RetroSense’s lead biologic, RST-001 for vision restoration in retinal degenerative conditions. The purpose of the meeting was to obtain CBER’s guidance for the clinical path to a Biologics License Application (BLA) for RST-001 in the US, and clarity on the steps required for Investigational New Drug (IND) submission. The discussions included manufacturing criteria, the scope and design of the preclinical studies, and the scope and design of Phase I and IIa clinical trials.

Posted on: 20 May 2012, source: Irv Arons
In attempting to determine how many patients had been treated with gene therapy for eye disorders, Irv Arons quickly found that no one was keeping track – at least no one that he could find. So, Irv Arons decided to try and get this data. He has now found reliable data for more than two-thirds of the 15 clinical trials underway and presents this information in his new table.

Posted on: 3 May 2012, source: BloombergNews
HIV patients given gene therapy more than a decade ago are healthy and the altered DNA they received remains stable in their bodies, according to a study that scientists say proves the treatment may safely be tested as a way to attack other illnesses. All except two of 43 people treated with genetically- altered versions of their own infection-fighting T cells were healthy as many as 11 years later, according to the research reported today in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

Posted on: 19 April 2012, source: ACGT
More than 30 of the nation's top cancer research scientists are gathering in Greenwich, Conn., this week to compare notes, collaborate, and celebrate ACGT's 10 years of innovative cancer research funding. ACGT was the funding arm of the breakthrough Leukemia clinical trial study at the University of Pennsylvania last summer that obliterated the cancer in patients.

Posted on: 14 April 2012, source: WRAL
Doctors in Britain say a radical new treatment for Parkinson's could improve the lives of millions who suffer from the disease. Sheila Roy says she can finally enjoy life at her countryside home in Cambridge, England. She has lived with Parkinson's disease for 17 years, but a team of Oxford scientists developed a treatment that changed her life. “I can see a glimmer of a person I use to be now, which is really exciting,” she said. Roy was one of only 15 people in the world to take part in a gene therapy experiment that was previously tested on lab animals. Scientists create and inject a virus into the brain. It jumpstarts the production of dopamine, a chemical that fights Parkinson's. Without dopamine, patients suffer tremors and uncontrolled movements.