Gene therapy partially restores vision in blindness trial

A New England Journal of Medicine study found an experimental optogenetics-based gene therapy partially restored light sensitivity in six of ten patients with advanced retinitis pigmentosa.

• Seven of ten participants showed improved light sensitivity, with six reaching clinically significant improvement.
• Each patient received a single eye injection producing the light-sensitive protein ChrimsonR and wore glasses converting scenes into light patterns.
• Some participants could detect objects in front of them, determine their position, and reach toward them while wearing the glasses.
• Study supervisor Botond Roska said patients can detect some objects but cannot yet recognize faces.