THERE ARE OTHER VIRAL VECTORS!!!
About Adeno-Associated Viral (AAV) Vectors
AAV is a small, stable virus that is not known to cause disease in humans even though a majority of the population has been exposed to it. The naturally occurring form of the virus contains only two genes. Both of these genes are completely removed in the process of developing AAV vectors for gene delivery. The DNA sequence for the viral genes is replaced with DNA encoding genes with therapeutic potential. The resulting vector retains the virus' ability to enter cells, but cannot replicate. Once the vector has entered a cell, the therapeutic gene can then be expressed.
Over the past several years, AAV vectors have become one of the most promising gene delivery systems for broad application in the treatment of disease due to many characteristics that give it particular utility for in vivo gene delivery:
AAV vectors contain no viral genes, thus minimizing the probability of undesirable host cellular immune response
AAV has never been known to cause disease
AAV cannot replicate
AAV can deliver genes to slowly- or non-dividing cells, targeting a broad array of cells and tissue types. Researchers are now discovering that AAV vectors work efficiently in a number of organs, such as lung, brain, heart, liver, muscle, retina and spinal cord, making AAV a potentially valuable tool for the development of numerous gene-based therapeutic products AAV vectors can persist and express genes in human cells for a relatively long time, allowing for the development of patient-friendly treatment regimens
AAV vectors are stable, enabling purification and production methods similar to those used for other typical biologic drugs.
Targeted Genetics appears to be in the lead on this vector;
biz.yahoo.com
interesting to notice the spike up in valuation after the reported problems with the adenovirus;
finance.yahoo.com
Conclusion; likely to be other options in the failure of the adenovirus than just naked DNA delivery; of course it is likely the best delivery platform for these is the Biojector!
later, art |
