Gene Therapy
Cell and gene therapy: The next milestone in fighting diseases By Bayer
Our approach to medicine and how we diagnose, treat, and beat diseases has changed remarkably over the last hundred years. From X-rays to DNA sequencing, rapid advances in both our knowledge and technology have meant illnesses that were once considered life sentences can now be overcome or at least managed more effectively. However, despite this incredible improvement, there remain many diseases and disorders that are incurable and continue to be hugely destructive to so many people’s lives. One in five people in developed countries, for example, will develop heart failure, while around 50 million people suffer from Alzheimer’s or related dementia worldwide. But what if there was a way of beating these previously untreatable illnesses?
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What if we could get to the root cause of the illness and stop it at its source? This is what cell and gene therapy seek to do. Scientists are on the cusp of huge breakthroughs in a new field of medicine that would create a new paradigm for healthcare – one that could potentially cure even the most difficult diseases by focusing on the building blocks of our bodies, our genes and cells. Cell and gene therapy looks at illness at a molecular level, seeking to replace damaged or dysfunctional molecules.
See how cell and gene therapy could change the way we treat diseases
