LOS ANGELES, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday approved two milestone treatments, Casgevy and Lyfgenia, representing the first cell-based gene therapies for the treatment of sickle cell disease in patients 12 years and older.
One of these therapies, Casgevy, is the first FDA-approved treatment to utilize a type of novel genome editing technology, signaling an innovative advancement in the field of gene therapy, the FDA said in a statement.
Sickle cell disease is a group of inherited blood disorders affecting approximately 100,000 people in the United States. The primary problem in sickle cell disease is a mutation in hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells that delivers oxygen to the body's tissues.
"Sickle cell disease is a rare, debilitating and life-threatening blood disorder with significant unmet need, and we are excited to advance the field especially for individuals whose lives have been severely disrupted by the disease by approving two cell-based gene therapies today," said Nicole Verdun, director of the Office of Therapeutic Products within the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
"Gene therapy holds the promise of delivering more targeted and effective treatments, especially for individuals with rare diseases where the current treatment options are limited," Verdun said.
These approvals represent an important medical advance with the use of innovative cell-based gene therapies to target potentially devastating diseases and improve public health, said Peter Marks, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
