UK to begin 'Gene therapy' clinical trials on Hepatitis B

Hyderabad, Aug 5 (UNI) UK-based founding Director of Imperial College of Genetic Therapies Centre (GTC) Prof Andrew David Miller today said GTC would begin 'pre-clinical' trials on Hepatitis disease through gene therapy.

Speaking to newspersons after participating in the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) Foundation day awards function here, Mr Miller said 'pre clinical' trials would be conducted in South Africa next year. The trials would be completed in nine months after the launch and clinical trials would be taken up at a later stage.

He said synthetic non-viral vector mediated small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapeutics, which were coming close to clinical development would be set on Hepatitis B gene to get the results during the clinical trials.

The scientists would develop artificial virus particles by using exclusive organic chemistry and nano technology, he said.

Stating that dreaded diseases like cancer, infectious and respiratory diseases could be cured with gene therapy in future, Mr Miller said they have completed the DNA design to conduct clinical trials on servical cancer.

UNI