Cell Genesys' Gene Therapy In AIDS

Cell Genesys is to expand Phase II clinical trials of its AIDS genetherapy, following the release of interim data which was presented at the American Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology meeting in San Francisco, USA.

Treatment with antiviral drugs such as protease inhibitors prevent the HIV virus from replicating, but frequently the virus persists in certain areas of the body, and can cause reinfection once treatment is halted. Cell Genesys is aiming to eliminate these HIV-infected cells with killer T cells that have been engineered with proprietary disease-specific receptors, and which selectively destroy HIV-infected cells.

"No Safety Problems" Clinical trial data thus far has demonstrated no serious safety problems in 30 patients with CD4 cell counts ranging from 52-746 per mm3. In addition, the genetically-modified cells remained in the body for at least six months.