Gene therapy to treat chronic hypereosinophilia

A new study published in the peer-reviewed journal Human Gene Therapy involved the generation of a human monoclonal antibody (mAb) directed against human eosinophils. The heavy and light chains of that fully human anti-human eosinophil mAb were delivered via an adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapy to immunodeficient mice, where they suppressed levels of human eosinophils in vivo. Click here to read the article now.

Chronic hypereosinophilia is defined as persistent elevated blood levels of eosinophils. It is associated with infiltration of eosinophils into the tissues and resulting organ damage by eosinophil release of toxic mediators.

“As a novel approach to treat chronic hypereosinophilia, we hypothesized that AAV-mediated delivery of an anti-human eosinophil antibody would provide one-time therapy that would mediate persistent suppression of blood eosinophil levels,” stated Ronald Crystal, from Weill Cornell Medical College, and coauthors of the study.

The investigators showed that in vivo gene therapy in mice mediated the destruction of human eosinophils and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity activity against human eosinophils. They concluded that the anti-human eosinophil mAb “holds the potential to offer therapeutic benefit to patients with chronic hypereosinophilia.”|

“This study highlights the potential for the gene therapy field to provide effective long-term therapies for chronic conditions, which currently require frequent treatments with painful and/or debilitating side effects,” says Managing Editor of Human Gene Therapy Thomas Gallagher, PhD, from the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School.

About the Journal
Human Gene Therapy, the Official Journal of the European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy and eight other international gene therapy societies, was the first peer-reviewed journal in the field and provides all-inclusive access to the critical pillars of human gene therapy: research, methods, and clinical applications. The Journal is led by Editor-in-Chief Terence R. Flotte, MD, Celia and Isaac Haidak Professor of Medical Education and Dean, Provost, and Executive Deputy Chancellor, University of Massachusetts Medical School, and an esteemed international editorial board. Human Gene Therapy is available in print and online. Complete tables of contents and a sample issue are available on the Human Gene Therapy website.

About the Publisher
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. is a global media company dedicated to creating, curating, and delivering impactful peer-reviewed research and authoritative content services to advance the fields of biotechnology and the life sciences, specialized clinical medicine, and public health and policy. For complete information, please visit the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. website.