A French biopharma company has announced their plans to carry out human trials of a new treatment that would insert genes from light-seeking algae into the eyes of patients with inherited blindness in order to help them regain sight. The treatment involves optogenetics, a technique that converts nerve cells into light sensitive cells. Although optogenetics is commonly used in animal experiments, its effects on humans are far less known.
Recently, GenSight Biologics announced that the UK Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency accepted the company’s clinical trial application to start Pioneer Phase I/II. The trial, expected to begin on UK patients in the first quarter of 2018, plans to study gene therapy as a treatment for patients with the genetic condition of retinitis pigmentosa, the press release announced.