Genetherapyinage-relatedmaculardegeneration
Inasmallandpreliminaryclinicaltrial,JohnsHopkinsresearchersandtheircollaboratorshaveshownthatanexperimentalgenetherapythatusesvirusestointroduceatherapeuticgeneintotheeyeissafeandthatitmaybeeffectiveinpreservingthevisionofpeoplewithwetage-relatedmaculardegeneration(AMD).AMDisaleadingcauseofvisionlossintheU.S.,affectinganestimated1.6millionAmericans.Thediseaseismarkedbygrowthofabnormalbloodvesselsthatleakfluidintothecentralportionoftheretinacalledthemacula,whichweuseforreading,drivingandrecognizingfaces.
ThestudypublishedonMay16inTheLancet,reportsanexcitingnewapproachinwhichavirus,similartothe