Therapeutic antibodies to fight disease
Gene therapy provides a powerful way of remedying genetic deficiencies and of targeting specific tissues. A project funded under the EU's BIOTECH research programme aims, by utilizing gene therapy, to genetically alter those cells in the patient which do not naturally produce antibodies, in order to render them capable of producing therapeutic antibodies into the bloodstream. The project has made considerable progress to date, and has taken in various stages, as follows: - The demonstration of the technical feasibility of rendering cells, non-specialized in the production of antibodies, capable of producing cloned antibodies; - The development of a new technique for implanting antibody-producing cells in vivo using capsules made of cellulose sulphate; - Validation of the therapeutic potential: work is ongoing to optimize the implantation procedures and to validate the therapeutic efficacy on other disease models.