Partial vision can be restored through new gene therapy

Researchers have created a new gene therapy that can help blind patients get back vision.

Researchers say that people who lose sight due to inherited retinopathy can see it in part thanks to completely new therapies.

Researchers led by Stephen R. Russell, an ophthalmologist at the University of Wisconsin, said there would be no treatment to restore this completely normal vision to this patient, however, it gave Allow patients to see shapes and light, allowing them to walk around needing a walking stick or dog.

Leber congenital necrosis (LBC) is a rare condition that starts at birth and progresses slowly, eventually causing complete blindness. It affects about 1 out of 80,000 individuals.

The new genetic treatment, called voretigene neparvovec (Luxturna, Spark Therapeutics) involves a genetically modified version of a harmless virus.

The virus is modified to bring a healthy version into the retina. To do this, doctors inject billions of modified viruses into both patients' eyes.

The findings show that after treatment, 93 percent of patients had significant improvements in their vision, enough for them to navigate in a labyrinth-like environment with a level of recognition. light from medium to low.

These patients also showed improved light sensitivity and peripheral vision, which patients lost completely before treatment.

However, it is unclear how long this treatment will last, but so far, most patients have maintained their vision for two years, the researcher said during the presentation. Results at the 121st annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology in New Orleans.

Although there is currently no treatment for hereditary retinopathy, new gene therapy is being reviewed by the US Food and Drug Administration.

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