Gene TherapyPub Date : 2024-06-04DOI: 10.1038/s41434-024-00457-x
Zhuang Mao, Changyao Wang, Juanli Liu, Xue Li, Han Duan, Yi Ye, Huifang Liu, Lin Lv, Guanzhen Xue, Zhichao He, Tana Wuren, Hua Wang
{"title":"Superoxide dismutase 1-modified dental pulp stem cells alleviate high-altitude pulmonary edema by inhibiting oxidative stress through the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway","authors":"Zhuang Mao, Changyao Wang, Juanli Liu, Xue Li, Han Duan, Yi Ye, Huifang Liu, Lin Lv, Guanzhen Xue, Zhichao He, Tana Wuren, Hua Wang","doi":"10.1038/s41434-024-00457-x","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41434-024-00457-x","url":null,"abstract":"High-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) is a deadly form of altitude sickness, and there is no effective treatment for HAPE. Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) are a type of mesenchymal stem cell isolated from dental pulp tissues and possess various functions, such as anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative stress. DPSCs have been used to treat a variety of diseases, but there are no studies on treating HAPE. In this study, Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to acute low-pressure hypoxia to establish the HAPE model, and SOD1-modified DPSCs (DPSCsHiSOD1) were administered through the tail vein. Pulmonary arterial pressure, lung water content (LWC), total lung protein content of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung homogenates, oxidative stress, and inflammatory indicators were detected to evaluate the effects of DPSCsHiSOD1 on HAPE. Rat type II alveolar epithelial cells (RLE-6TN) were used to investigate the effects and mechanism of DPSCsHiSOD1 on hypoxia injury. We found that DPSCs could treat HAPE, and the effect was better than that of dexamethasone treatment. SOD1 modification could enhance the function of DPSCs in improving the structure of lung tissue, decreasing pulmonary arterial pressure and LWC, and reducing the total lung protein content of BALF and lung homogenates, through anti-oxidative stress and anti-inflammatory effects. Furthermore, we found that DPSCsHiSOD1 could protect RLE-6TN from hypoxic injury by reducing the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and activating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. Our findings confirm that SOD1 modification could enhance the anti-oxidative stress ability of DPSCs through the Nrf2/HO-1 signalling pathway. DPSCs, especially DPSCsHiSOD1, could be a potential treatment for HAPE.","PeriodicalId":12699,"journal":{"name":"Gene Therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2024-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141247875","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gene TherapyPub Date : 2024-05-16DOI: 10.1038/s41434-024-00455-z
M. Akula, S. M. McNamee, Z. Love, N. Nasraty, N. P. M. Chan, M. Whalen, M. O. Avola, A. M. Olivares, B. D. Leehy, A. S. Jelcick, P. Singh, A. K. Upadhyay, D. F. Chen, N. B. Haider
{"title":"Retinoic acid related orphan receptor α is a genetic modifier that rescues retinal degeneration in a mouse model of Stargardt disease and Dry AMD","authors":"M. Akula, S. M. McNamee, Z. Love, N. Nasraty, N. P. M. Chan, M. Whalen, M. O. Avola, A. M. Olivares, B. D. Leehy, A. S. Jelcick, P. Singh, A. K. Upadhyay, D. F. Chen, N. B. Haider","doi":"10.1038/s41434-024-00455-z","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41434-024-00455-z","url":null,"abstract":"Degeneration of the macula is associated with several overlapping diseases including age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and Stargardt Disease (STGD). Mutations in ATP Binding Cassette Subfamily A Member 4 (ABCA4) are associated with late-onset dry AMD and early-onset STGD. Additionally, both forms of macular degeneration exhibit deposition of subretinal material and photoreceptor degeneration. Retinoic acid related orphan receptor α (RORA) regulates the AMD inflammation pathway that includes ABCA4, CD59, C3 and C5. In this translational study, we examined the efficacy of RORA at attenuating retinal degeneration and improving the inflammatory response in Abca4 knockout (Abca4−/−) mice. AAV5-hRORA-treated mice showed reduced deposits, restored CD59 expression and attenuated amyloid precursor protein (APP) expression compared with untreated eyes. This molecular rescue correlated with statistically significant improvement in photoreceptor function. This is the first study evaluating the impact of RORA modifier gene therapy on rescuing retinal degeneration. Our studies demonstrate efficacy of RORA in improving STGD and dry AMD-like disease.","PeriodicalId":12699,"journal":{"name":"Gene Therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2024-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41434-024-00455-z.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140957146","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gene TherapyPub Date : 2024-04-29DOI: 10.1038/s41434-024-00454-0
Alexander Renner, Anika Stahringer, Katharina Eva Ruppel, Stephan Fricke, Ulrike Koehl, Dominik Schmiedel
{"title":"Development of KoRV-pseudotyped lentiviral vectors for efficient gene transfer into freshly isolated immune cells","authors":"Alexander Renner, Anika Stahringer, Katharina Eva Ruppel, Stephan Fricke, Ulrike Koehl, Dominik Schmiedel","doi":"10.1038/s41434-024-00454-0","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41434-024-00454-0","url":null,"abstract":"Allogeneic cell therapies, such as those involving macrophages or Natural Killer (NK) cells, are of increasing interest for cancer immunotherapy. However, the current techniques for genetically modifying these cell types using lenti- or gamma-retroviral vectors present challenges, such as required cell pre-activation and inefficiency in transduction, which hinder the assessment of preclinical efficacy and clinical translation. In our study, we describe a novel lentiviral pseudotype based on the Koala Retrovirus (KoRV) envelope protein, which we identified based on homology to existing pseudotypes used in cell therapy. Unlike other pseudotyped viral vectors, this KoRV-based envelope demonstrates remarkable efficiency in transducing freshly isolated primary human NK cells directly from blood, as well as freshly obtained monocytes, which were differentiated to M1 macrophages as well as B cells from multiple donors, achieving up to 80% reporter gene expression within three days post-transduction. Importantly, KoRV-based transduction does not compromise the expression of crucial immune cell receptors, nor does it impair immune cell functionality, including NK cell viability, proliferation, cytotoxicity as well as phagocytosis of differentiated macrophages. Preserving immune cell functionality is pivotal for the success of cell-based therapeutics in treating various malignancies. By achieving high transduction rates of freshly isolated immune cells before expansion, our approach enables a streamlined and cost-effective automated production of off-the-shelf cell therapeutics, requiring fewer viral particles and less manufacturing steps. This breakthrough holds the potential to significantly reduce the time and resources required for producing e.g. NK cell therapeutics, expediting their availability to patients in need.","PeriodicalId":12699,"journal":{"name":"Gene Therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2024-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41434-024-00454-0.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140832819","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gene TherapyPub Date : 2024-04-27DOI: 10.1038/s41434-024-00453-1
Jordyn A. Lopes, Nicole E. Garnier, Yanlong Pei, Jacob G. E. Yates, Elena S. B. Campbell, Melanie M. Goens, Madison E. Hughes, Amira D. Rghei, Brenna A. Y. Stevens, Matthew M. Guilleman, Brad Thompson, Cezar M. Khursigara, Leonardo Susta, Sarah K. Wootton
{"title":"AAV-vectored expression of monospecific or bispecific monoclonal antibodies protects mice from lethal Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia","authors":"Jordyn A. Lopes, Nicole E. Garnier, Yanlong Pei, Jacob G. E. Yates, Elena S. B. Campbell, Melanie M. Goens, Madison E. Hughes, Amira D. Rghei, Brenna A. Y. Stevens, Matthew M. Guilleman, Brad Thompson, Cezar M. Khursigara, Leonardo Susta, Sarah K. Wootton","doi":"10.1038/s41434-024-00453-1","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41434-024-00453-1","url":null,"abstract":"Pseudomonas aeruginosa poses a significant threat to immunocompromised individuals and those with cystic fibrosis. Treatment relies on antibiotics, but persistent infections occur due to intrinsic and acquired resistance of P. aeruginosa towards multiple classes of antibiotics. To date, there are no licensed vaccines for this pathogen, prompting the urgent need for novel treatment approaches to combat P. aeruginosa infection and persistence. Here we validated AAV vectored immunoprophylaxis as a strategy to generate long-term plasma and mucosal expression of highly protective monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting the exopolysaccharide Psl (Cam-003) and the PcrV (V2L2MD) component of the type-III secretion system injectosome either as single mAbs or together as a bispecific mAb (MEDI3902) in a mouse model. When administered intramuscularly, AAV-αPcrV, AAV-αPsl, and AAV-MEDI3902 significantly protected mice challenged intranasally with a lethal dose of P. aeruginosa strains PAO1 and PA14 and reduced bacterial burden and dissemination to other organs. While all AAV-mAbs provided protection, AAV-αPcrV and AAV-MEDI3902 provided 100% and 87.5% protection from a lethal challenge with 4.47 × 107 CFU PAO1 and 87.5% and 75% protection from a lethal challenge with 3 × 107 CFU PA14, respectively. Serum concentrations of MEDI3902 were ~10× lower than that of αPcrV, but mice treated with this vector showed a greater reduction in bacterial dissemination to the liver, lung, spleen, and blood compared to other AAV-mAbs. These results support further investigation into the use of AAV vectored immunoprophylaxis to prevent and treat P. aeruginosa infections and other bacterial pathogens of public health concern for which current treatment strategies are limited.","PeriodicalId":12699,"journal":{"name":"Gene Therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2024-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41434-024-00453-1.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140802601","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gene TherapyPub Date : 2024-04-24DOI: 10.1038/s41434-024-00452-2
Johanna Risse, Merlin Krzemien, Jan Schnalke, Thomas Heinemann
{"title":"Towards ethical drug pricing: the European Orphan Genomic Therapies Fund","authors":"Johanna Risse, Merlin Krzemien, Jan Schnalke, Thomas Heinemann","doi":"10.1038/s41434-024-00452-2","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41434-024-00452-2","url":null,"abstract":"An increasing number of novel genomic therapies are expected to become available for patients with rare or ultra-rare diseases. However, the primary obstacle to equal patient access to these orphan genomic therapies are currently very high prices charged by manufacturers in the context of limited healthcare budgets. Taking into account ethical pricing theories, the paper proposes the implementation of a pricing infrastructure covering all European member states, which has the potential to promote distributive justice while maintaining the attractiveness of genomic therapy development.","PeriodicalId":12699,"journal":{"name":"Gene Therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2024-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41434-024-00452-2.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140661841","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gene TherapyPub Date : 2024-04-16DOI: 10.1038/s41434-024-00451-3
Guo Ge, Barath P. Sivasubramanian, Bill D. Geng, Shujie Zhao, Qing Zhou, Gang Huang, Jason C. O’Connor, Robert A. Clark, Senlin Li
{"title":"Long-term benefits of hematopoietic stem cell-based macrophage/microglia delivery of GDNF to the CNS in a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease","authors":"Guo Ge, Barath P. Sivasubramanian, Bill D. Geng, Shujie Zhao, Qing Zhou, Gang Huang, Jason C. O’Connor, Robert A. Clark, Senlin Li","doi":"10.1038/s41434-024-00451-3","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41434-024-00451-3","url":null,"abstract":"Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) protects dopaminergic neurons in various models of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Cell-based GDNF gene delivery mitigates neurodegeneration and improves both motor and non-motor functions in PD mice. As PD is a chronic condition, this study aims to investigate the long-lasting benefits of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC)-based macrophage/microglia-mediated CNS GDNF (MMC-GDNF) delivery in an MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine) mouse model. The results indicate that GDNF treatment effectively ameliorated MPTP-induced motor deficits for up to 12 months, which coincided with the protection of nigral dopaminergic neurons and their striatal terminals. Also, the HSC-derived macrophages/microglia were recruited selectively to the neurodegenerative areas of the substantia nigra. The therapeutic benefits appear to involve two mechanisms: (1) macrophage/microglia release of GDNF-containing exosomes, which are transferred to target neurons, and (2) direct release of GDNF by macrophage/microglia, which diffuses to target neurons. Furthermore, the study found that plasma GDNF levels were significantly increased from baseline and remained stable over time, potentially serving as a convenient biomarker for future clinical trials. Notably, no weight loss, altered food intake, cerebellar pathology, or other adverse effects were observed. Overall, this study provides compelling evidence for the long-term therapeutic efficacy and safety of HSC-based MMC-GDNF delivery in the treatment of PD.","PeriodicalId":12699,"journal":{"name":"Gene Therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2024-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140583410","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gene TherapyPub Date : 2024-04-02DOI: 10.1038/s41434-024-00450-4
Alexis Ceecee Britten-Jones, Myra B. McGuinness, Fred K. Chen, John R. Grigg, Heather G. Mack, Lauren N. Ayton
{"title":"A multinational survey of potential participant perspectives on ocular gene therapy","authors":"Alexis Ceecee Britten-Jones, Myra B. McGuinness, Fred K. Chen, John R. Grigg, Heather G. Mack, Lauren N. Ayton","doi":"10.1038/s41434-024-00450-4","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41434-024-00450-4","url":null,"abstract":"Amidst rapid advancements in ocular gene therapy, understanding patient perspectives is crucial for shaping future treatment choices and research directions. This international cross-sectional survey evaluated knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of ocular genetic therapies among potential recipients with inherited retinal diseases (IRDs). Survey instruments included the Attitudes to Gene Therapy-Eye (AGT-Eye), EQ-5D-5L, National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-25), and Patient Attitudes to Clinical Trials (PACT-22) instruments. This study included 496 participant responses (89% adults with IRDs; 11% parents/guardians/carers) from 35 countries, with most from the United States of America (USA; 69%) and the United Kingdom (11%). Most participants (90%) indicated they would likely accept gene therapy if it was available, despite only 45% agreeing that they had good knowledge of gene therapy. The main sources of information were research registries (60% of participants) and the internet (61%). Compared to data from our recently published Australian national survey of people with IRDs (n = 694), USA respondents had higher knowledge of gene therapy outcomes, and Australian respondents indicated a higher perceived value of gene therapy treatments. Addressing knowledge gaps regarding outcomes and financial implications will be central to ensuring informed consent, promoting shared decision-making, and the eventual clinical adoption of genetic therapies.","PeriodicalId":12699,"journal":{"name":"Gene Therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2024-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41434-024-00450-4.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140583413","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gene TherapyPub Date : 2024-03-25DOI: 10.1038/s41434-024-00449-x
Zach Hetzler, Stella M. Marinakos, Noah Lott, Noor Mohammad, Agnieszka Lass-Napiorkowska, Jenna Kolbe, Lauren Turrentine, Delaney Fields, Laurie Overton, Helena Marie, Angus Hucknall, Oliver Rammo, Henry George, Qingshan Wei
{"title":"Adeno-associated virus genome quantification with amplification-free CRISPR-Cas12a","authors":"Zach Hetzler, Stella M. Marinakos, Noah Lott, Noor Mohammad, Agnieszka Lass-Napiorkowska, Jenna Kolbe, Lauren Turrentine, Delaney Fields, Laurie Overton, Helena Marie, Angus Hucknall, Oliver Rammo, Henry George, Qingshan Wei","doi":"10.1038/s41434-024-00449-x","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41434-024-00449-x","url":null,"abstract":"Efficient manufacturing of recombinant Adeno-Associated Viral (rAAV) vectors to meet rising clinical demand remains a major hurdle. One of the most significant challenges is the generation of large amounts of empty capsids without the therapeutic genome. There is no standardized analytical method to accurately quantify the viral genes, and subsequently the empty-to-full ratio, making the manufacturing challenges even more complex. We propose the use of CRISPR diagnostics (CRISPR-Dx) as a robust and rapid approach to determine AAV genome titers. We designed and developed the CRISPR-AAV Evaluation (CRAAVE) assay to maximize sensitivity, minimize time-to-result, and provide a potentially universal design for quantifying multiple transgene constructs encapsidated within different AAV serotypes. We also demonstrate an on-chip CRAAVE assay with lyophilized reagents to minimize end user assay input. The CRAAVE assay was able to detect AAV titers as low as 7e7 vg/mL with high precision (<3% error) in quantifying unknown AAV titers when compared with conventional quantitative PCR (qPCR) method. The assay only requires 30 min of assay time, shortening the analytical workflow drastically. Our results suggest CRISPR-Dx could be a promising tool for efficient rAAV genome titer quantification and has the potential to revolutionize biomanufacturing process analytical technology (PAT).","PeriodicalId":12699,"journal":{"name":"Gene Therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2024-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140287330","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gene TherapyPub Date : 2024-03-22DOI: 10.1038/s41434-024-00448-y
Lisa Roberts
{"title":"Precision ophthalmology: a call for Africa not to be left in the dark","authors":"Lisa Roberts","doi":"10.1038/s41434-024-00448-y","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41434-024-00448-y","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12699,"journal":{"name":"Gene Therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2024-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41434-024-00448-y.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140193658","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gene TherapyPub Date : 2024-03-14DOI: 10.1038/s41434-024-00446-0
Maria Elisabeth Kalland, Tomas Pose-Boirazian, Gloria Maria Palomo, Frauke Naumann-Winter, Enrico Costa, Darius Matusevicius, Dinah M. Duarte, Eva Malikova, Dinko Vitezic, Kristina Larsson, Armando Magrelli, Violeta Stoyanova-Beninska, Segundo Mariz
{"title":"Advancing rare disease treatment: EMA’s decade-long insights into engineered adoptive cell therapy for rare cancers and orphan designation","authors":"Maria Elisabeth Kalland, Tomas Pose-Boirazian, Gloria Maria Palomo, Frauke Naumann-Winter, Enrico Costa, Darius Matusevicius, Dinah M. Duarte, Eva Malikova, Dinko Vitezic, Kristina Larsson, Armando Magrelli, Violeta Stoyanova-Beninska, Segundo Mariz","doi":"10.1038/s41434-024-00446-0","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41434-024-00446-0","url":null,"abstract":"Adoptive cell therapy (ACT), particularly chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy, has emerged as a promising approach for targeting and treating rare oncological conditions. The orphan medicinal product designation by the European Union (EU) plays a crucial role in promoting development of medicines for rare conditions according to the EU Orphan Regulation. This regulatory landscape analysis examines the evolution, regulatory challenges, and clinical outcomes of genetically engineered ACT, with a focus on CAR-T cell therapies, based on the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products review of applications evaluated for orphan designation and maintenance of the status over a 10-year period. In total, 30 of 36 applications were granted an orphan status, and 14 subsequently applied for maintenance of the status at time of marketing authorisation or extension of indication. Most of the products were autologous cell therapies using a lentiviral vector and were developed for the treatment of rare haematological B-cell malignancies. The findings revealed that 80% (29/36) of the submissions for orphan designation were supported by preliminary clinical data showing a potential efficacy of the candidate products and an added clinical benefit over currently authorised medicines for the proposed orphan condition. Notably, in 89% (32/36) of the cases significant benefit of the new products was accepted based on a clinically relevant advantage over existing therapies. Twelve of fourteen submissions reviewed for maintenance of the status at time of marketing authorisation or extension of indication demonstrated significant benefit of the products over existing satisfactory methods of treatment within the approved therapeutic indications, but one of the applications was withdrawn during the regulatory evaluation. This article summarises the key findings related to the use of engineered ACT, primarily CAR-T cell therapies, in targeting and treating rare cancers in the EU. It emphasises the importance of use of clinical data in supporting medical plausibility and significant benefit at the stage of orphan designation and highlights the high success rate for these products in obtaining initial orphan designations and subsequent maintaining the status at the time of marketing authorisation or extension of indication.","PeriodicalId":12699,"journal":{"name":"Gene Therapy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2024-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41434-024-00446-0.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140119294","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}