<p>Narayana Nethralaya on Wednesday announced the launch of their first human gene therapy trials.</p>.<p>Hospital chairman Dr Rohit Shetty said this would be the first gene therapy trial in India for eye diseases. The trials would be conducted in the hospital’s Genes Repair and Regeneration in Ophthalmic Workstation (GROW) laboratories.</p>.<p>“The safety trials on animals were done over the past years, and now we are awaiting approval from the government for human trials. In gene therapy, the gene causing the disease is identified, and the copy of a healthy gene is used to treat the defective gene,” he said.</p>.<p>The lab aims to develop affordable indigenous drugs.</p>.<p>The first human trial, in the area of corneal dystrophy, is expected to kick off in 5-6 months. The lab plans to conduct trials on 12 eye diseases, as well as sickle cell anaemia and muscular dystrophy.</p>
<p>Narayana Nethralaya on Wednesday announced the launch of their first human gene therapy trials.</p>.<p>Hospital chairman Dr Rohit Shetty said this would be the first gene therapy trial in India for eye diseases. The trials would be conducted in the hospital’s Genes Repair and Regeneration in Ophthalmic Workstation (GROW) laboratories.</p>.<p>“The safety trials on animals were done over the past years, and now we are awaiting approval from the government for human trials. In gene therapy, the gene causing the disease is identified, and the copy of a healthy gene is used to treat the defective gene,” he said.</p>.<p>The lab aims to develop affordable indigenous drugs.</p>.<p>The first human trial, in the area of corneal dystrophy, is expected to kick off in 5-6 months. The lab plans to conduct trials on 12 eye diseases, as well as sickle cell anaemia and muscular dystrophy.</p>
