Gene Therapy May ReverseColor Blindness

Filed in archive Drugs, Vaccines and Therapeutics , Gene Therapy on May 22, 2007

Using gene therapy, scientists have been able to reverse blindness in mice with achromatopsia, a rare hereditary color blindness affecting about 1 in 30, 000 Americans.

Within two months of the gene therapy injection into the subretinal space of the mouse eyes, scientists measured the electrical activity in the retinas, finding that 19 of the 21 treated eyes positively responded to therapy, and 17 of those 19 had electrical readings from their retinas on par with those taken in normal mice.

When the mice were between 6 and 7 months old, tests showed 18 of the 21 treated eyes continued to respond normally.

Considering the results, the authors suggest that gene therapy amy also be used to treat other types of blindness including age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.

The study has been published in a recent issue of Nature Medicine.

Source: UFL