Gene Therapy of Autoimmune Disease

Download or read book Gene Therapy of Autoimmune Disease written by Gerald J. Prud'homme and published by Springer. This book was released on 2005-07-13 with total page 149 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Autoimmune diseases are diverse and responsible for considerable morbidity. Their etiology remains largely unknown, and current therapy with anti-inflammatory drugs is prone to adverse effects, and rarely curative. New therapies with anti-cytokine antibodies or receptors are promising, but require frequent administration of expensive protein drugs. Gene Therapy of Autoimmune Diseases comprehensively reviews research in gene therapy for autoimmune diseases with viral or non-viral vectors. Gene therapy offers the possibility of long-term, continuous delivery of a wide variety of immunosuppressive, anti-inflammatory, or tolerance-inducing agents. Moreover, highly specific genetically modified cells can be produced. This book discusses the most promising avenues in this exciting new field.