NHSBT played a key role in an ‘astonishing’ new gene therapy

NHSBT played a key role in an 'astonishing' new gene therapy headlining the news.

Our Manchester Therapeutic Apheresis services team collected the stem cells used to treat Hunter Syndrome in 3 year-old Oliver Chu. 

Hunter syndrome is a progressive disorder which causes damage to the body and brain, with most patients dying by the age of 3.

In a world first, a medical team at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital treated Oliver with his own modified cells.

A year after starting the treatment, Oliver now appears to be developing normally, reported the BBC, which has been leading its news reports on his story.

NHSBT collected his stem cells so they could be sent off for modification then reinfused by the hospital’s team.

Our TAS units are specialists in adding something to your blood or removing something from your blood.

The teams treat patients for rare disorders such as sickle cell or graft versus host disorder and also regularly collect stem cells for stem cell-based treatments – including revolutionary therapies.

Dr James Griffin, NHS Blood and Transplant Medical Director for Cell and Gene Therapies said:

"This is an amazing step forwards – science fiction coming to life – offering hope to people with rare diseases that could not have otherwise been treated. This treatment could be shared around the world."

Dr Lilian Hook, NHS Blood and Transplant Director for Cell and Gene Therapies, said:

"We're proud that our Manchester Therapeutic Apheresis Services team collected Oliver’s stem cells so they could be genetically modified into a treatment and given back to him. Our TAS network is unique and plays a vital role in a wide range of ground-breaking cell and gene therapies."

NHSBT's TAS teams, perform over 13,000 treatments, for around 1,600 adults and children every year through 10 dedicated therapeutic units across the country.