Successful Gene Treatment for Cystic Fibrosis Reported

A British geneticist said Wednesday that he and colleagues have successfully used genes to treat cystic fibrosis patients. Eight volunteers with cystic fibrosis were given one dose of normal genes by Dr. Chris Higgins of Oxford University to counteract the genetic mutation that causes the disease. Six had no symptoms of the disease for three weeks, he reported.

Higgins said the technique used was not strictly gene therapy. “What we are really doing is gene transfer, not gene therapy. But we believe it can also have clinical benefit,” he said. Higgins, who was preparing to publish his findings, said the important part was that the therapy was safe. “It did no harm, no damage whatsoever.”