News Genetics

Gene therapy for blindness dims a bit

After initial improvement seen in three patients with rare inherited disease, vision cells die

illustration of gene therapy in retina

NO GAIN  Patients with an inherited form of blindness experienced temporary gains in vision after receiving gene therapy. But the retina of one person shows that nearly six years after the treatment, vision cells died in the treated area (outlined upper left corner; cooler colors signify cell death) and in the rest of the retina. 

S.G. Jacobson et al/NEJM 2015

By Tina Hesman Saey

- More than 2 years ago

Gene therapy for a rare form of inherited blindness improves sight temporarily but can’t yet save vision cells from dying.