Attack of the B - Team EP8 - Drowning for Science! Attack of the B-Team Modded Minecraft on the Seed Team server with JSeed47 and friends. A little gene therapy and testing death for science... Modpack: http://www.technicpack.net/attack-of-the-bt... By: DerpTater … Continue reading →

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Two members of the Biotech IPO Class of 2013 -- Bluebird Bio (BLUE) and Agios Pharmaceuticals (AGIO) -- will deliver important pipeline updates at the European Hematology Association (EHA) Congress on Sat. June 14. Let's preview both presentations, starting with Bluebird and its LentiGlobin gene therapy for beta-thalassemia. Lenti what for beta who? LentiGlobin is gene therapy, meaning it insertsa fully functional gene for human beta-globin into the patient's own hematopoietic stem cells. The theory behind gene therapy is relatively simple: For diseases caused by single, malfunctioning or missing gene, effective treatment or even a complete cure can be achieved (theoretically) by replacing the defective gene with one that is fully functional. Gene therapy sounds simple but the execution is obviously a lot more complicated. I won't get into the weeds explaining the process by which BlueBird produces and delivers LentiGlobin except to say a working gene for human beta-globin would allows beta-thalassemia (B-Thal) patients to produce functional beta-globin -- the largest component of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in red blood cells. B-Thal patients suffer from anemia and iron overload. There is no currently approved cure or effective treatment, so patients require regular blood transfusions to … Continue reading →