Most of Today’s Gene Therapies Rely on Viruses — and that’s a Problem
Around the world, more than 2,000 gene therapies are in development, according to the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy, which are financially attractive to drug companies. It seems the biggest problem appears to be the viruses ferry genes.
Cutting, the geneticist at Johns Hopkins, has high hopes for nonviral delivery vehicles for in-vivo therapies. These molecular FedEx trucks are usually composed of lipids, proteins and chemicals that form bubbles that protect the genetic cargo and transport it to where it needs to go.
