The first-ever approval of a Cell-based Gene Therapy by the Federal Drug Administration in the US has finally come – after many years of research and development into our long-held belief that DNA holds the key to a possible cure for disease.
Our own Professor John Rasko is Head of Cell and Molecular Therapies at RPA Hospital in Sydney and President-Elect of the International Society for Cellular Therapy – he is delighted that the day has arrived.
“This is a day we’ve been waiting for” he says “… the thought that we could ‘turbo-charge’ the immune system has been around for decades – so to have a working and approved treatment based on these ideas is fantastic.”
With this new ‘Car-T’ therapy, blood from a patient is removed and the T-cells genetically modified to help them identify the diseased Cancer cells and destroy them. These Car-T cells are reintroduced to the patient’s blood stream through a normal blood infusion, where they massively expand and go to work – killing the tumour cells… in just the same way that your body identifies and deals with bacteria and viruses.
“Just one single modified T-cell is capable of killing thousands, or tens of thousands, of Cancer cells” says Professor Rasko.
Cure The Future are actively involved raising funds for Car-T research (see below)
Hear the full ABC Radio interview about Car-T therapy with Prof John Rasko.
Exciting News as 1st Cell & Gene Therapy approved by FDA
Car-T Project
Professor Rasko & RPA Hospital are part of a global research initiative to expand the potential for Car-T therapy, in collaboration with leading researchers at other centres in USA, Canada & Sweden.
Cure The Future is the leading Cell and Gene Therapy Charity in Australia & New Zealand – Join us now & help support this fantastic project.
Let’s find a cure for cancer and other inherited diseases.