Targeted Gene Therapy Provides Relief For Chronic Pain
January 23, 2008 | Source: Science Daily
Mount Sinai School of Medicine researchers successfully treated chronic pain with targeted gene therapy that simulates the pain-killing effect of opiate drugs.
They designed a viral vector to carry the gene into primary sensory neurons to selectively activate opiate receptors. The treated rats remained symptom-free for an extended period of time.
If the method works in humans, gene therapy could become a treatment alternative for patients with severe chronic pain.