UCL Gene Therapy Trial Shows Benefit for up to Three Years After Treatment

Begun in 2007, this was the world's first-in-human trial of gene therapy to treat an inherited form of blindness. Twelve patients were enrolled in the trial over the course of six years and followed up over a three year period to assess the long-term safety and benefit of treatment with gene therapy in this Phase I/II clinical trial.

A number of patients enrolled in the trial experienced gains in night vision for a period of two to three years with greatest improvements seen in the first 6 to 12 months after treatment. This is consistent with the published results and interim findings of other studies of RPE65 gene therapy.

The group has now developed a new, more powerful gene therapy vector and is aiming to test this in a second clinical trial funded by The UK Medical Research Council.

• The full results from this study can be found in the NEJM:

1. Bainbridge, JWB, Mehat MS, Sundaram V, et al. Long-term Effect of Gene Therapy on Leber Congenital Amaurosis. New England Journal of Medicine. 2015;10.1056/NEJMoa1414221
2. Bainbridge, JWB, Smith AJ, Barker SS, et al. Effect of Gene Therapy on Visual Function in Leber's Congenital Amaurosis. New England Journal of Medicine. 2008; 358: 2231-9