Issues over patient death in AAV treatment

In an article titled "Death Prompts a Review of Gene Therapy Vector," Jocelyn Kaiser in Science notes the death of a patient in a trial sponsored by Targeted Genetics Corp. relating to earlier work on Enbrel, a protein-based treatment for rheumatoid arthritis that inhibits a pro-inflammatory cytokine called tumor necrosis factor alpha.

The specific material in question is the adeno-associated virus (AAV) and the FDA us cyrrebtkt reviewing 28 other trials using AAV, including 21 active studies.

[See 317 Science 580 (3 August 2007)]