A New Viral Gene Therapy Method for Treating Inherited Diseases

It's virus vs. gene.

Researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed an innovative treatment that uses a bacterial virus already in the body to target genetic disorders.

The bacterial virus "M13" targets specific human cells, delivering different therapeutic genes to treat various disease types.

“There is a real need for customizable gene therapies to address the gap in treatments. What’s exciting about M13 is that it is very simple genetically and structurally, a single-stranded DNA phage. This simplicity allows for a cost-effective, efficient, and controllable approach to gene therapy that may represent a step towards personalized gene therapy.”

— Dr. Roderick Slavcev

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