ABSTRACT
Over a 10-year period, the Gene Therapy Resource Program (GTRP) of the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute has provided a set of core services to investigators to facilitate the clinical translation of gene therapy. These services have included a preclinical (research-grade) vector production core; current Good Manufacturing Practice clinical-grade vector cores for recombinant adeno-associated virus and lentivirus vectors; a pharmacology and toxicology core; and a coordinating center to manage program logistics and to provide regulatory and financial support to early-phase clinical trials. In addition, the GTRP has utilized a Steering Committee and a Scientific Review Board to guide overall progress and effectiveness and to evaluate individual proposals. These resources have been deployed to assist 82 investigators with 172 approved service proposals. These efforts have assisted in clinical trial implementation across a wide range of genetic, cardiac, pulmonary, and blood diseases. Program outcomes and potential future directions of the program are discussed.
Subject(s)
Dependovirus/genetics , Genetic Therapy/trends , Lentivirus/genetics , Translational Research, Biomedical/trends , Anniversaries and Special Events , Genetic Vectors , Humans , National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (U.S.) , United StatesABSTRACT
Abstract Translational research is a lengthy, complex, and necessary endeavor in order to bring basic science discoveries to clinical fruition. The NIH offers several programs to support translational research including an important resource established specifically for gene therapy researchers-the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Gene Therapy Resource Program (GTRP). This paper reviews the core components of the GTRP and describes how the GTRP provides researchers with resources that are critical to advancing investigational gene therapy products into clinical testing.
