A revolutionary gene therapy, offering a potential cure for sickle cell disease, has been approved for use on the National Health Service (NHS) in England.

The £1.65m treatment, known as exagamglogene autotemcel (exa-cel), is a one-time gene therapy that edits the faulty gene in a patient's own stem cells.

This breakthrough comes as a significant relief to the approximately 17,000 people living with sickle cell disease in England, with around 4,000 believed to be eligible for the new treatment.

Sickle cell disease is a genetic disorder that affects the shape of blood cells, hindering blood flow and causing severe painful episodes.

The approval of exa-cel is a monumental step forward in the treatment of sickle cell disease, which disproportionately affects people of Black African and Black Caribbean heritage.

Nigeria, with an estimated 5-6 million carriers, is considered the epicenter of the disease worldwide.

Clinical trials have shown that exa-cel can stop painful sickle cell crises, with researchers finding a "functional cure" in 96.6% of participants who received the treatment.

The NHS estimates that around 50 patients per year will receive the cutting-edge treatment, which is expected to significantly improve their quality of life.

Campaigners and healthcare professionals have welcomed the news, hailing it as a historic milestone in the fight against sickle cell disease.

Prof Bola Owolabi, Director of the National Healthcare Inequalities Improvement Programme at NHS England, said:

"This groundbreaking therapy, available on the NHS, represents a very real prospect of a cure for this devastating disorder."

John James OBE, Chief Executive of the Sickle Cell Society, added:

"We are absolutely thrilled to see this groundbreaking gene therapy treatment available on the NHS... The significance of this milestone for the sickle cell community cannot be understated – today's result will give hope to many and is the result of determined campaigning."

While the approval of exa-cel is a significant breakthrough, some patients have expressed caution, citing concerns about potential side effects.

Mehmet Tunc Onur Sanli, a 42-year-old sickle cell patient from London, said:

"Not having to go to hospital for regular transfusions or taking medicine anymore would be a dream to me – gene therapy could offer that – but there's still a lot to consider."

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Dr. Amos Akinbiyi, a Nigerian-born obstetrician-gynecologist based in Canada, had taken legal action against the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) and its employees, alleging breach of contract, intimidation, conspiracy, and defamation.

The lawsuit follows a series of incidents dating back to 2017 that, according to Dr. Akinbiyi, highlight systemic racism and unethical treatment within the health system.

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Source: Legit.ng