Gene therapy drug given green light for rare disease Glybera to cost 1m ($1.6m) for each patient Drug is first to get approval in Western world EU go-ahead paves way for many more treatments<\/p>\n
By Jenny Hope <\/p>\n
PUBLISHED: 08:19 EST, 2 November 2012 | UPDATED: 21:14 EST, 2 November 2012 <\/p>\n
Revolution: Gene therapies can change a person's DNA <\/p>\n
Regulators yesterday approved the first therapy in the western world that can correct errors in a persons genetic code. <\/p>\n
Europe has approved Glybera to be used against a rare inherited disorder which disrupts fat production in the body. <\/p>\n
The treatment uses a virus to counteract LPLD, lipoprotein lipase deficiency, which can led to acute inflammation of the pancreas. <\/p>\n
The illness affects around one or two people per million and sufferers have damaged copies of a gene which is essential for breaking down fats. The virus infects muscle cells with a copy of a healthy gene and a one-off treatment is effective. <\/p>\n
The treatment was backed by an advisory panel to the European Commission in July and full approval was granted yesterday. The medicine should be available next year. <\/p>\n
Professor John Kastelein, of the University of Amsterdam, said the therapy would have a dramatic impact on patients. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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First gene therapy drug given European license<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Gene therapy drug given green light for rare disease Glybera to cost 1m ($1.6m) for each patient Drug is first to get approval in Western world EU go-ahead paves way for many more treatments By Jenny Hope PUBLISHED: 08:19 EST, 2 November 2012 | UPDATED: 21:14 EST, 2 November 2012 Revolution: Gene therapies can change a person's DNA Regulators yesterday approved the first therapy in the western world that can correct errors in a persons genetic code. Europe has approved Glybera to be used against a rare inherited disorder which disrupts fat production in the body. Continue reading