Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
A groundbreaking gene therapy that transforms white blood cells into a powerful “living drug” has shown remarkable success in reversing certain blood cancers that were previously considered untreatable. This innovative treatment approach, backed by research funded by Blood Cancer UK, marks a significant milestone in cancer therapy.
At Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) and King’s College Hospital in London, nine children and two adults suffering from T-cell leukaemia underwent this cutting-edge procedure. The majority of patients experienced what researchers describe as a “deep remission,” with seven individuals remaining free of disease three years after treatment. The therapy, developed jointly by GOSH and University College London (UCL), works by genetically editing donor T-cells so that they can specifically attack cancer cells while evading rejection by the patient’s immune system. This method uses an advanced form of CRISPR gene editing known as base-editing.
Professor Waseem Qasim from UCL highlighted the revolutionary nature of this technology, stating, “A few years ago this would have been science fiction. Now we can take white blood cells from a healthy donor and change a single letter of DNA code in those cells and give them back to patients to try to tackle this hard-to-treat leukaemia.” One notable case of success involves 13-year-old Alyssa Tapley from Leicestershire, who was the first person worldwide to receive the BE-CAR7 treatment in 2022. Having failed to respond to conventional therapies such as chemotherapy and an initial bone marrow transplant, Alyssa’s family was preparing for palliative care before the opportunity for this novel therapy arose.
Dr Rob Chiesa, bone marrow transplant consultant and study investigator at GOSH, emphasized the importance of this development: “Although most children with T-cell leukaemia will respond well to standard treatments, around 20% may not. It’s these patients who desperately need better options and this research provides hope for a better prognosis for everyone diagnosed with this rare but aggressive form of blood cancer.” Alyssa, now 16 and cancer-free, expressed her gratitude and hope for the future, sharing, “I’ve now been able to do some things I thought earlier in my life would be impossible. My ultimate goal is to become a research scientist and be part of the next big discovery that can help people like me.”
Read the full article on Positive News here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.