Gene therapy for inherited retinal degenerations: initial successes and future challenges

J Neural Eng. 2017 Oct;14(5):051002. doi: 10.1088/1741-2552/aa7a27. Epub 2017 Aug 22.

Abstract

Inherited retinal degenerations are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of conditions that have historically shared an untreatable course. In recent years, however, a wide range of therapeutic strategies have demonstrated efficacy in preclinical studies and entered clinical trials with a common goal of improving visual function for patients affected with these conditions. Gene therapy offers a particularly elegant and precise opportunity to target the causative genetic mutations underlying these monogenic diseases. The present review will provide an overview of gene therapy with particular emphasis on key clinical results to date and challenges for the future.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Clinical Trials as Topic / methods
  • Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats / genetics
  • Forecasting
  • Genetic Therapy / methods*
  • Genetic Therapy / trends*
  • Humans
  • Retinal Degeneration / diagnosis
  • Retinal Degeneration / genetics*
  • Retinal Degeneration / therapy*
  • Vision, Ocular / genetics