Molecular Therapy

Molecular therapy comprises methods to provide a needed gene product to a patient, with the intent to produce a desired effect on health. Genetically engineered viruses can be used to deliver genes to cells in the body, and the cells that receive the gene then synthesize the protein that the gene encodes. Alternatively, in a cell-based form of gene therapy, termed ex vivo gene therapy, the patient receives cells that have been engineered to produce the required gene product. No forms of gene therapy are currently in use for the treatment of aging and age-related diseases, but it is widely anticipated that these medical technologies will be used to treat age-related diseases in the future. This article describes the possible types of therapies that could be used, and their limitations and potentials.