Nonviral Vectors for Gene Therapy

Book excerpt: Gene transfer within humans has been an obstacle until about 10 years ago. At that time, it was found that viral vectors were effective carriers of "healthy genes" into patients' cells. The problem, however, was that viral vectors proved unnecessarily harmful to humans: subjects experienced inflamatory activity and negative immunological responses to the genes. Viral vectors were also unable to meet the needs of the pharmaceutical community: they were not reproducible in large-scale proportions in cost-effective ways. Thus, research was undertaken to find a safer way to transfer genes to patients without jeopardizing the safety of the patient. And so non-viral vectors were discovered. This volume presents the various non-viral vectors currently under development. Although not methodologically oriented, it will provide the necessary details behind the development of the vectors. This information will prove useful to both researchers and clinicians. Key Features * Presents state-of-the art developments of nonviral vectors as tools for modern molecular medicine * Covers all types of nonviral vectors, from molecular structure to therapeutic application Provides a comprehensive review of synthetic vectors * Includes contributions from major investigators and leading experts in the field