Category Archives: Gene therapy

Moderna has agreed to separate deals with Vertex and Chiesi for research and development spanning cystic fibrosis (CF) therapies and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

In its agreement with Vertex, Moderna will receive $75m to collaborate on the research and development into gene therapies for CF. As part of the deal, Moderna will discover and develop lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) and mRNAs for the delivery of gene-editing therapies for the treatment of CF.

Under the terms of the deal, Moderna will receive $75m upfront to conduct research activities to discover and develop LNPs for gene-editing CF therapies. The US-based biotech company will also be eligible to receive up to $380m in further development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments, as well as tiered royalties on any products that come out of the collaboration.

While Moderna will be responsible for the initial discovery and manufacturing of LNPs and mRNA constructs for the gene-editing treatments, Vertex will be responsible for providing other components of the therapies to be formulated into LNPs, as well as the preclinical and clinical development and commercialisation efforts of any potential candidates.

This is the second agreement reached between Moderna and Vertex, with the previous collaboration aimed at the discovery and development of mRNA therapeutics for CF having been recently extended.

Our first collaboration with Vertex to deliver mRNA coding for cystic fibrosis protein in lung cells is advancing well and this second collaboration aims at using Modernas technologies to explore the use of gene editing in lung cells, said Stphane Bancel, chief executive officer of Moderna.

Prior to announcing the Vertex deal, Moderna revealed that it had come to a separate agreement with Italian-domiciled pharma company Chiesi, for the development of mRNA treatments for PAH.

As part of that deal, Moderna will receive $25m upfront as well as a potential $400m in milestone payments to conduct research and development activities in this therapy area.

PAH is a rare and progressive disorder, which occurs when arteries in the lungs constrict, which forces the heart to work harder, often causing heart failure. The condition affects around two to five million adults across the globe, and remains an area of high unmet medical need.

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Moderna inks R&D agreements with Vertex and Chiesi - PMLiVE

Technology plays a key role in the bleeding disorders community and will dictate where we will go with treatments and care from gene therapy to novel technologies and cell therapy on the horizon.

JUPITER, Fla. (PRWEB) September 18, 2020

An upcoming episode of Advancements with Ted Danson will focus on recent developments in health management as it relates to those affected with inheritable bleeding disorders. Check local listings for more info.

Bleeding disorders result when the bloods ability to form a clot at the site of blood vessel injury is impaired. Shining a light on the National Hemophilia Foundation (NHF), this segment will explore the latest information surrounding inheritable bleeding disorders, such as hemophilia, von Willebrand disease, and rare factor deficiencies.

Viewers will learn about NHFs programs and initiatives, which are dedicated to finding better treatments and cures for inheritable bleeding disorders and to preventing the complications of these disorders through education, advocacy, and research.

The National Hemophilia Foundation is excited to participate in this unique opportunity, said Dr. Leonard Valentino, President and CEO at NHF. Technology plays a key role in the bleeding disorders community and will dictate where we will go with treatments and care from gene therapy to novel technologies and cell therapy on the horizon.

Audiences will hear from experts and will also be educated about experimental methods, such as gene therapy, that are currently being investigated as potential cures for bleeding disorders.

Bleeding disorders have been documented throughout history and can be found in writings as far back as the second century AD, said Richard Lubin, senior producer for Advancements. We look forward to exploring how technology, research, and NHFs dedication is opening doors for breakthrough treatment options for hemophilia and similar bleeding disorders.

About the National Hemophilia Foundation (NHF)The National Hemophilia Foundation (NHF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to finding better treatments and cures for inheritable bleeding disorders and to preventing the complications of these disorders through education, advocacy and research. NHFs programs and initiatives are made possible through the generosity of individuals, corporations and foundations, as well as through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For more information, visit: http://www.hemophilia.org.

About Advancements and DMG Productions:The Advancements series is an information-based educational show targeting recent advances across a number of industries and economies. Featuring state-of-the-art solutions and important issues facing todays consumers and business professionals, Advancements focuses on cutting-edge developments, and brings this information to the public with the vision to enlighten about how technology and innovation continue to transform our world.

Backed by experts in various fields, DMG Productions is dedicated to education and advancement, and to consistently producing commercial-free, educational programming on which both viewers and networks depend.

For more information, please visit http://www.AdvancementsTV.com or call Richard Lubin at 866-496-4065.

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Advancements Television Series to Explore Breakthroughs in Research and Treatment for Inheritable Bleeding Disorders - PR Web

When a researchers talk about gene editing, theyre usually thinking about several steps. First you need to zero in on the defective gene; then, depending on the need, youd want to knock out, replace or insert genetic material.

CRISPR/Cas9 technologies have transformed the field by making a breakthrough for the first problem. Inducing double-stranded DNA breaks, or achieving single-letter changes as base editing allows, have promising applications in multiple diseases that are starting to get tested in humans.

But Versant Ventures, one of the pioneering investors in the space, still sees a gap. And theyre teaming up with a group of prominent Stanford researchers plus a seasoned biotech exec to fill it.

Achieving high-efficiency targeted gene integration has been a critical objective of gene editing for more than 15 years, but only now is this technologically possible, Jerel Davis, Versants Vancouver-based managing director, said.

Graphite Bio has $45 million to start things off, but the money matters little when compared to the rich brain bank its drawing from.

Matthew Porteus, an academic founder of CRISPR Therapeutics, is lending the tech platform to create this next-gen play alongside gene therapy expert Maria Grazia Roncarolo.

Drawing from research work led by Danny Dever while a postdoc at Porteus lab, Graphites big promise is to increase integration efficiency from less than 1% to greater than 50% across diverse genetic lesions in a wide range of cell types.

Specifically, Dever and Porteus showed that they could correct the sickle globin gene in patient-derived hematopoietic stem cells ex vivo by combining Cas9 ribonucleoproteins with a donor molecule that serves as a template, delivered in recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors of serotype 6 (rAAV6).

That could make for a much more scalable replacement for transplants, they wrote in a 2017 paper describing mouse studies.

Notably, we devise an enrichment paradigm to purify a population of HSPCs with >90% targeted integration, they wrote. We also show efficient correction of the SCD-causing E6V mutation in patient-derived HSPCs that after differentiation into erythrocytes, express adult -globin (HbA) mRNA, confirming intact transcriptional regulation of edited HBB alleles.

Chief executive Josh Lehrer is leading the charge to start Phase I for this program in early 2021, bringing all the sickle cell knowledge and experience from a six-year run as Global Blood Therapeutics, most recently as CMO. More preclinical therapies are in the works for unnamed serious diseases. Samsara BioCapital is joining Versant for the launch round and sending Abe Bassan to the board, which also features Davis and Carlo Rizzuto from Versant.

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Versant teams up with Stanford gene editing experts on a $45M next-gen play marrying CRISPR and AAV to fix sickle cell - Endpoints News

With September being Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month, Loma Linda University Childrens Health wants to help educate the community about SCD one of the most common yet overlooked genetic disorders in the world.

Each year, approximately 1,000 babies in the U.S. and 500,000 worldwide are born with the disease, according to the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America.

Akshat Jain, MD, MPH, a global sickle cell disease expert at Childrens Hospital, is passionate about establishing awareness and proper care for children suffering from SCD and Sickle Cell Trait, especially the diverse patient population in San Bernardino County.

There are many barriers to receiving care for those with SCD in our community, Jain says. One barrier specifically is lack of awareness surrounding the disease coupled with lack of awareness surrounding the treatment options available at Childrens Hospital.

In sickle cell disease, a persons red blood cells have an irregular cell shape, Jain says. Instead of round discs, theyre in a crescent or sickle shape.

Due to their shape, texture and inflexibility, the cells become clumped together. This grouping causes a blockage in a childs blood vessels, hindering blood-flow. This blockage may cause varying levels of pain and potentially organ damage long-term.

Jain says some of the signs and symptoms of SCD include:

Jain says that many children with SCD develop symptoms in their first year of life. SCD is commonly diagnosed during newborn screening tests, which check for the abnormal hemoglobin found in SCD. Additionally, if both parents of a child are known carriers of a SCD trait, their child will have a 25% chance of having the disease, Jain says.

Some of the emergent issues needing immediate medical care in kids with SCD disease include:

Treatments for SCD include pain medicines for pain management, adequate hydration, blood transfusions, vaccines and antibiotics, and some medicines. Currently, stem cell transplant from bone marrow is the recognized cure for SCD.

Childrens Hospital, with Jain working as a lead on the team, performed the institutions first stem cell transplant in 2019, curing a then 11-year-old girl who had suffered from SCD since birth. Since then, the team has successfully performed the transplant on several pediatric patients.

Patients with SCD at Childrens Hospital are placed into a treatment and care program where Jain and his team offer non-traditional services such as individualized patient treatment plans and direct access to the care team in case of an emergent event. Additionally, the program is working toward offering curative gene therapy for both sickle cell and hemophilia patients.

The bottom line is children and families suffering from this disease need to know that theyre not alone, Jain says. Here at Childrens Hospital, we are here to manage and fight this disease alongside of you.

Learn more about our treatments for sickle cell disease at our Specialty Team Centers.

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Here's what to know about Sickle Cell Disease in kids - Loma Linda University Health

Many patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) failed intravesical BCG therapy. Currently, radical cystectomy is the recommended standard of care for those patients. There is unfortunately no effective other second-line therapy recommended.

In this review, we present the topics of BCG unresponsive NMIBC; definition, prognosis, and further treatment options: immunotherapy, intravesical chemotherapy, gene therapy, and targeted individualized therapy.

There are major challenges of the management of NMIBC who failed BCG therapy as many patients refuse or are unfit for radical cystectomy. Multiple new modalities currently under investigation in ongoing clinical trials to better treat this category of patients. Immunotherapy, especially PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, offers exciting and potentially effective strategies for the treatment of BCG unresponsive NMIBC. As the data expands, it is sure that soon there will be established new guidelines for NMIBC.

Expert review of anticancer therapy. 2020 Sep 11 [Epub ahead of print]

Mohamad Moussa, Athanasios G Papatsoris, Athanasios Dellis, Mohamed Abou Chakra, Wajih Saad

Head of Urology department, Zahraa Hospital, University Medical Center, Lebanese University , Beirut, Lebanon., 2nd Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Sismanoglio Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , Athens, Greece., Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Aretaieion Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , Athens, Greece., Faculty of Medical Sciences, department of Urology, Lebanese University , Beirut,Lebanon., Head of Oncology department, Zahraa Hospital, University Medical Center, Lebanese University , Beirut, Lebanon.

PubMed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32915676

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Novel anticancer therapy in BCG unresponsive non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. - UroToday

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Voyager Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: VYGR), a clinical-stage gene therapy company focused on developing life-changing treatments for severe neurological diseases, today announced the addition of Nancy Vitale as an independent director to its Board of Directors, effective as of September 15, 2020. Ms. Vitale brings more than 25 years of experience to Voyagers Board, with deep expertise in human resources. She is a former Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer at Genentech, a member of the Roche Group.

We are thrilled to welcome Nancy to our Board, said Andre Turenne, President and CEO of Voyager. Nancys accomplished background in helping organizations thrive by focusing on a strong patient-centric culture and employee wellbeing will be enormously valuable as we continue to grow Voyager.

Since leaving Genentech, in 2019, Ms. Vitale co-founded and continues to co-manage Partners for Wellbeing, LLC., a boutique human resources consulting firm. Prior to her 13-year tenure at Genentech, Ms. Vitale held senior human resources roles at Procter & Gamble Company and CIGNA. Ms. Vitale earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the Goizueta Business School of Emory University.

Im delighted to join Voyagers Board of Directors, Ms. Vitale commented. The company is led by an outstanding team and Im highly compelled by Voyagers mission to deliver life-changing medicines for patients suffering from severe neurological diseases. I look forward to working with other members of the Board and contributing to this important mission.

Ms. Vitale will also serve as a member of the Boards Compensation Committee.

About Voyager Therapeutics

Voyager Therapeutics is a clinical-stage gene therapy company focused on developing life-changing treatments for severe neurological diseases. Voyager is committed to advancing the field of AAV gene therapy through innovation and investment in vector engineering and optimization, manufacturing, and dosing and delivery techniques. Voyagers wholly owned and partnered pipeline focuses on severe neurological diseases for which effective new therapies are needed, including Parkinsons disease, Huntingtons disease, Friedreichs ataxia, and other severe neurological diseases. For more information onVoyager Therapeutics, please visit the companys website atwww.voyagertherapeutics.com or follow@VoyagerTxon Twitter andLinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements for the purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities law. The use of words such as may, might, will, should, expect, plan, anticipate, believe, estimate, project, intend, future, potential, or continue, and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. For example, all statements Voyager makes regarding Ms. Vitales participation as a member of Voyagers Board of Directors and her ability to help Voyager grow and develop a strong patient-centric culture and focus on employee wellbeing are forward-looking. All forward-looking statements are based on assumptions by Voyagers management that, although Voyager believes to be reasonable, are inherently uncertain. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those that Voyager expected, including the ability of Ms. Vitale to quickly integrate onto the Voyager Board of Directors, to make contributions as a member of the Voyager Board of Directors and to contribute to Voyagers culture. These statements are also subject to a number of material risks and uncertainties that are described in Voyagers most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as updated by its future filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it was made. Voyager undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Investors:Paul CoxVP, Investor Relations857-201-3463pcox@vygr.com

Media: Sheryl Seapy W2Opure949-903-4750sseapy@purecommunications.com

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Voyager Therapeutics Appoints Nancy Vitale to its Board of Directors - GlobeNewswire

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Locanabio, Inc., a leader in RNA-targeted gene therapy, today announced that results from a preclinical study of the company's therapeutic systems for the potential treatment of myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) were published in Nature Biomedical Engineering. For the full article, titled "The sustained expression of Cas9 targeting toxic RNAs reverses disease phenotypes in mouse models of myotonic dystrophy," please visit: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41551-020-00607-7

Scientists at Locanabio, working with academic collaborators at UC San Diego School of Medicine and the University of Florida, assessed whether an RNA-targeting CRISPR Cas9 system (RCas9) could provide molecular and functional rescue of dysfunctional RNA processing in a DM1 mouse model. The RCas9 system was administered with one dose of an AAV gene therapy vector. Results in both adult and neonatal mice and using both intramuscular and systemic delivery showed prolonged RCas9 expression even at three months post-injection with efficient reversal of molecular (elimination of toxic RNA foci, MBNL1 redistribution, reversal of splicing biomarkers) and physiological (myotonia) features of DM1.Importantly, there were no significant adverse responses to the treatment.

"These results are consistent with earlier findings from several in vitro studies in muscle cells derived from DM1 patients published by Locanabio's scientific co-founder Dr. Gene Yeo of UC San Diego and further indicate the significant potential of our RNA-targeting gene therapy as a DM1 treatment," said Jim Burns, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer at Locanabio. "Data show that our RNA-targeting system is able to destroy the toxic RNA at the core of this devastating genetic disease and thereby correct the downstream molecular and biochemical changes that result in myotonia, which is a hallmark symptom of DM1. We are pleased that Nature Biomedical Engineering recognizes the value of these preclinical data and we look forward to further advancing this developmental program to the benefit of DM1 patients."

"Currently available treatments for DM1 can improve specific symptoms but do not target the underlying biology and cause of the disease. These data demonstrate that RNA-targeting systems may efficiently and specifically eliminate toxic RNA repeats that cause DM1 and potentially lead to a more effective treatment option for patients," said Dr. Yeo. "The results also indicate that RNA-targeting gene therapy has potential applications in the treatment of other diseases, such as Huntington's disease and certain genetic forms of ALS, which are also caused by a buildup of toxic RNA repeats."

These studies were funded in part by the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). "We are delighted to support Locanabio's recent work in myotonic dystrophy. These preclinical results represent a promising advance and a novel scientific approach for a group of patients who represent a major unmet medical need," said Sharon Hesterlee, Ph.D., Chief Research Officer, MDA.

About Locanabio, Inc.

Locanabio is the global leader in developing a new class of genetic medicines. Our unique and multi-dimensional approach uses gene therapy to deliver RNA binding protein-based systems to correct the message of disease-causing RNA and thereby change the lives of patients with devastating genetic diseases. These broad capabilities delivered via gene therapy enable Locanabio to potentially address a wide range of severe diseases with a single administration. The company is currently advancing programs in neuromuscular, neurodegenerative and retinal diseases. For more information, visit http://www.locanabio.com.

About Myotonic Dystrophy

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder affecting skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, the gastrointestinal tract, and the central nervous system. DM1 is caused by a mutation in the myotonic dystrophy protein kinase (DMPK) gene. This mutation leads to a repeat expansion of the CTG (cytosine-thymine-guanine) trinucleotide. The expanded CTG is transcribed into toxic CUG (cytosine-uracil-guanine) repeats in the DMPK messenger RNA (mRNA). These toxic mRNA repeats lead to disease symptoms including progressive muscle wasting, weakness and myotonia (delayed relaxation of skeletal muscle), a hallmark of DM1. The incidence of myotonic dystrophy has historically been estimated at one in 8,000 individuals worldwide or approximately 40,000 people in the United States.

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Treatment with RNA-Targeting Gene Therapy Reverses Molecular and Functional Features of Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 in Mice - PRNewswire

PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News:

GenSight Biologics (Paris:SIGHT) (Euronext: SIGHT, ISIN: FR0013183985, PEA-PME eligible), a biopharma company focused on discovering and developing innovative gene therapies for retinal neurodegenerative diseases and central nervous system disorders, today announced that it has submitted the Marketing Authorisation Application (MAA) for its lead product LUMEVOQ to the European Medicines Agency (EMA), seeking approval for the treatment of patients with vision loss due to Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON) caused by mutation in the ND4 mitochondrial gene.

This first regulatory submission for GenSight is a major milestone in our progression from a pure research organization to one with commercial capabilities. It validates a technology platform that has the potential to address the high unmet medical needs of patients suffering from a range of rare diseases. I would like to thank all GenSight employees and partners whose motivation, focus and effort made this submission possible, said Bernard Gilly, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of GenSight Biologics.

LHON is a rare, mitochondrial genetic disease, mainly affecting young males. The ND4 mutation results in the worst visual outcomes, with most patients becoming legally blind. There continues to be a high unmet medical need for the 800-1200 new LHON patients in Europe and the U.S. each year, particularly those who are struck blind in their prime working years.

Lenadogene nolparvovec (tradename: LUMEVOQ) is a recombinant adeno-associated viral vector, serotype 2 (rAAV2/2), containing a cDNA encoding the human wild-type mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase 4 protein (ND4), which has been specifically developed for the treatment of LHON associated with mutation in the ND4 gene. It received orphan drug designation status for the treatment of LHON from the EMA in 2011 and from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2013.

GenSight submitted the MAA based on the benefit-risk balance established by results from a Phase-I/IIa study (CLIN-01), two pivotal Phase-III efficacy studies (CLIN-03A: RESCUE, and CLIN-03B: REVERSE) and the long-term follow up study of RESCUE and REVERSE (CLIN 06 - readout at Year 3 post injection). To demonstrate the efficacy of LUMEVOQ in the context of a contralateral effect, the Company used a statistics-based indirect comparison methodology to assess the visual outcomes in LUMEVOQ-treated patients (from LUMEVOQ efficacy studies) against those in untreated patients from Natural History studies and GenSights REALITY Natural History Registry.

GenSight expects to submit the Biologics License Application (BLA) for LUMEVOQ to the FDA in H2 2021. First-in-human data from GenSights second clinical stage program, GS030, are expected to be available in H2 2021.

About GenSight BiologicsGenSight Biologics S.A. is a clinical-stage biopharma company focused on discovering and developing innovative gene therapies for retinal neurodegenerative diseases and central nervous system disorders. GenSight Biologics pipeline leverages two core technology platforms, the Mitochondrial Targeting Sequence (MTS) and optogenetics to help preserve or restore vision in patients suffering from blinding retinal diseases. GenSight Biologics lead product candidate, LUMEVOQ (GS010; lenadogene nolparvovec), is in Phase III trials in Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON), a rare mitochondrial disease that leads to irreversible blindness in teens and young adults. Using its gene therapy-based approach, GenSight Biologics product candidates are designed to be administered in a single treatment to the eye by intravitreal injection to offer patients a sustainable functional visual recovery.

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GenSight Biologics Submits EU Marketing Authorisation Application for LUMEVOQ Gene Therapy to Treat Vision Loss Due to Leber Hereditary Optic...

One of the major challenges facing gene therapy a way to treat disease by replacing a patients defective genes with healthy ones is that it is difficult to safely deliver therapeutic genes to patients without the immune system destroying the gene, and the vehicle carrying it, which can trigger life-threatening widespread inflammation.

Three decades ago researchers thought that gene therapy would be the ultimate treatment for genetically inherited diseases like hemophilia, sickle cell anemia, and genetic diseases of metabolism. But the technology couldnt dodge the immune response.

Since then, researchers have been looking for ways to perfect the technology and control immune responses to the gene or the vehicle. However, many of the strategies tested so far have not been completely successful in overcoming this hurdle.

Drugs that suppress the whole immune system, such as steroids, have been used to dampen the immune response when administering gene therapy. But its difficult to control when and where steroids work in the body, and they create unwanted side effects. My colleague Mo Ebrahimkhani and I wanted to tackle gene therapy with immune-suppressing tools that were easier to control.

I am a medical doctor and synthetic biologist interested in gene therapy because six years ago my father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer, and the currently available therapeutics usually fail to save patients. As a result, novel treatments such as gene therapy might be the only hope.

[Read: These tech trends defined 2020 so far, according to 5 founders]

Yet, many gene therapies fail because patients either already have pre-existing immunity to the vehicle used to introduce the gene or develop one in the course of therapy. This problem has plagued the field for decades, preventing the widespread application of the technology.

Traditionally scientists use viruses from which dangerous disease-causing genes have been removed as vehicles to transport new genes to specific organs. These genes then produce a product that can compensate for the faulty genes that are inherited genetically. This is how gene therapy works.

Though there have been examples showing that gene therapy was helpful in some genetic diseases, they are still not perfect. Sometimes, a faulty gene is so big that you cant simply fit the healthy replacement in the viruses commonly used in gene therapy.

Another problem is that when the immune system sees a virus, it assumes that it is a disease-causing pathogen and launches an attack to fight it off by producing antibodies and immune response just as happens when people catch any other infectious viruses, like SARS-CoV-2 or the common cold.

Recently, though, with the rise of a gene-editing technology called CRISPR, scientists can do gene therapy differently.

CRISPR can be used in many ways. In its primary role, it acts as a genetic surgeon with a sharp scalpel, enabling scientists to find a genetic defect and correct it within the native genome in desired cells of the organism. It can also repair more than one gene at a time.

Scientists can also use CRISPR to turn off a gene for a short period of time and then turn it back on, or vice versa, without permanently changing the letters of DNA that makes up our genome. This means that researchers like me can leverage CRISPR technology to revolutionize gene therapies in the coming decades.

But to use CRISPR for either of these functions, it still needs to be packaged into a virus to get it into the body. So some challenges, such as preventing the immune response to the gene therapy viruses, still need to be solved for CRISPR-based gene therapies.

Being trained as a synthetic biologist, I teamed up with Ebrahimkhani to use CRISPR to test whether we could shut down a gene that is responsible for the immune response that destroys the gene therapy viruses. Then we investigated whether lowering the activity of the gene, and dulling the immune response, would allow the gene therapy viruses to be more effective.

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CRISPR can precisely remove even single units of DNA. KEITH CHAMBERS/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/Getty Images

A gene called Myd88 is a key gene in the immune system and controls the response to bacteria and viruses, including the common gene therapy viruses. We decided to temporarily turn off this gene in the whole body of lab animals.

We injected animals with a collection of the CRISPR molecules that targeted the Myd88 gene and looked to see whether this reduced the number of antibodies that were produced to specifically fight our gene therapy viruses. We were excited to see that the animals that received our treatment using CRISPR produced less antibodies against the virus.

This prompted us to ask what happens if we give the animal a second dose of the gene therapy virus. Usually, the immune response against a gene therapy virus prevents the therapy from being administered multiple times. Thats because after the first dose, the immune system has seen the virus, and on the second dose, antibodies swiftly attack and destroy the virus before it can deliver its cargo.

We saw that animals receiving more than one dose did not show an increase in antibodies against the virus. And, in some cases, the effect of gene therapy improved compared with the animals in which we had not paused the Myd88 gene.

We also did a number of other experiments that proved that tweaking the Myd88 gene can be useful in fighting off other sources of inflammation. That could be useful in diseases like sepsis and even COVID-19.

While we are now beginning to improve this strategy in terms of controlling the activity of the Myd88 gene. Our results, now published in Nature Cell Biology, provide a path forward to program our immune system during gene therapies and other inflammatory responses using the CRISPR technology.

This article is republished from The Conversation by Samira Kiani, Associate Professor of Pathology, University of Pittsburghunder a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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How CRISPR is tackling the troubling immune response thats plagued gene therapy until now - TNW

-- Webcast conference call to be held on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time --

-- Additional poster presentations at WMS will highlight data from Sareptas RNA and gene therapy programs --

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:SRPT), the leader in precision genetic medicine for rare diseases, today announced that new data from its most advanced gene therapy programs will be presented at the WMS25 Virtual Congress, the 25th International Annual Congress of the World Muscle Society, being held Sept. 28 Oct. 2.

Sarepta will host a webcast and conference call on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020 at 8:30 a.m. ET, to discuss the results, which include two-year functional data from Study 101 of SRP-9001 for Duchenne muscular dystrophy and 18-month functional results from Cohort 1 in the study of SRP-9003 for Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy Type 2E.

This will be webcast live under the investor relations section of Sarepta's website at https://investorrelations.sarepta.com/events-presentationsand will be archived there following the call for one year. Please connect to Sarepta's website several minutes prior to the start of the broadcast to ensure adequate time for any software download that may be necessary. The conference call may be accessed by dialing (844) 534-7313 for domestic callers and (574) 990-1451 for international callers. The passcode for the call is 6793650. Please specify to the operator that you would like to join the "Long-term Functional Data from Sareptas Gene Therapy Programs call.

In total, Sarepta will present 16 abstracts at this years meeting. All posters will be available on-demand throughout the Congress beginning on Monday, Sept. 28 at 7:00 a.m. EST. The full WMS25 Virtual Congress program is available here: https://www.wms2020.com/programme/.

Gene Therapy:

RNA Platform:

Natural history and other presentations:

Presentations will be archived under the events and presentations section of the Sarepta Therapeutics website at http://www.sarepta.comforone year following their presentation at WMS25.

AboutSarepta TherapeuticsAt Sarepta, we are leading a revolution in precision genetic medicine and every day is an opportunity to change the lives of people living with rare disease. The Company has built an impressive position in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and in gene therapies for limb-girdle muscular dystrophies (LGMDs), mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIA, Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT), and other CNS-related disorders, with more than 40 programs in various stages of development. The Companys programs and research focus span several therapeutic modalities, including RNA, gene therapy and gene editing. For more information, please visitwww.sarepta.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Internet Posting of Information

We routinely post information that may be important to investors in the 'For Investors' section of our website atwww.sarepta.com. We encourage investors and potential investors to consult our website regularly for important information about us.

Source: Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc.

Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc.

Investors: Ian Estepan, 617-274-4052, iestepan@sarepta.com

Media: Tracy Sorrentino, 617-301-8566, tsorrentino@sarepta.com

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Long-term functional data from Sarepta Therapeutics' Most Advanced Gene Therapy Programs to be Presented at Upcoming Annual Congress of the World...