"Certainly, I've been anxious about data...I did an experiment, I put a lot of time into it, I'm hoping to get good results...we all know that feeling, right? The stakes are just so different here...this kid's life depends on whether this experiment worked."

--Kiran Musunuru, MD, PhD

One of the highlights of the ASGCT 28th Annual Meeting was the announcement on May 15 of a historic medical breakthrough: a child diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder had been successfully treated for the first time with a customized CRISPR gene editing therapy.

The infant, KJ Muldoon, was born with a rare metabolic disease called severe carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1 (CPS1) deficiency. When he was just six months old, KJ received his personalized therapy at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), where ASGCT Members Kiran Musunuru, MD, PhD; and Rebecca Ahrens-Nicklas, MD, PhD; led the group of researchers who developed KJ's treatment.

KJ is now growing and thriving. He recently left the hospital where he has spent the majority of his life. And the day after presenting the research that led to this first-of-its-kind development, Dr. Musunuru told us that there was so much more to the story.

Listen to our first episode of Soundbites of the Annual Meeting with Dr. Kiran Musunuru.

Did you attend the 28th Annual Meeting?

• Watch all sessions, including Dr. Musunuru's presentation, on demand on the virtual meeting platform through July 18!
• Not a member? Join now and receive 19 months of membership for the price of 12.

Show your support for ASGCT!: https://asgct.org/membership/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In honor of Molecular Therapy’s 25th anniversary, this episode is the second in a series hosted by Dr. Joseph Glorioso, Editor-in-Chief of Molecular Therapy, that will cover comprehensive reviews of critical developments in the field of gene and cell therapy over the past 25 years.

In this episode, Dr. Glorioso will discuss the reviews, AAV vector development, back to the future, with author Sheila Mikhail; M34, Inc.; and The deLIVERed promises of gene therapy: Past, present, and future of liver-directed gene therapy; with author Dr. Mark Kay, Stanford University.

If you enjoy this deep dive into research that is critical to the field, check out two more ASGCT events happening this fall: Advancing Cell and Gene Therapies for Cancer and Breakthroughs in Targeted In Vivo Gene Editing. During these events – in October and November, respectively – you’ll be able to hear directly from researchers about their own work related to these topics, or you can submit your own abstract for possible presentation. We hope to see you there!

Music: 'Electric Dreams' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

Show your support for ASGCT!: https://asgct.org/membership/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In honor of Molecular Therapy’s 25th anniversary, this episode is the first in a series hosted by Dr. Joseph Glorioso, Editor-in-Chief of Molecular Therapy, that will cover comprehensive reviews of critical developments in the field of gene and cell therapy over the past 25 years by expert authors. In this episode, Dr. Glorioso will discuss two of these reviews, “Gene therapy then and now: A look back at changes in the field over the past 25 years,” with author Dr. Terry Flotte, UMass Chan Medical School, and “From concept to cure: The evolution of CAR-T cell therapy,” with author Dr. Carl June, University of Pennsylvania.

Want to learn about more recent developments in the field directly from the people who are doing the research? There's still time to register and join us for ASGCT’s 2025 Annual Meeting, May 13 to 17, in New Orleans or virtually! If you become a member of the Society, you can save $465 on your registration for the premier event in the field. Check out the full program and register for the meeting today!

'Electric Dreams' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

Show your support for ASGCT!: https://asgct.org/membership/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Issue, Host Emily Walsh Martin, PhD, is tackling her absolute favorite subject: the importance of long-term data!

Emily is joined by Dolan Sondhi, PhD, of Weill Cornell Medical College, to discuss her recent paper, “Twenty-Year Survival Analysis of Adeno-Associated Virus Vector Serotype 2-Mediated Gene Therapy to the Central Nervous System for CLN2 Disease.”

We hope to see all of your long-term data at the ASGCT Annual Meeting, the premier event in cell and gene therapy, next month! Join us in New Orleans May 13-17, where we'll learn from more than 2,100 abstracts submitted for presentation. For information about the program, registration, and more, visit: https://annualmeeting.asgct.org/.

Music by: https://www.steven-obrien.net/
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Bright New Morning - Steven O'Brien

(Used for free under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Show your support for ASGCT!: https://asgct.org/membership/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Niki Gallo, principal consultant of regulatory affairs at Halloran Consulting, joins host Emily Walsh Martin for a deep dive into timeline management pitfalls, the nuances of INDs, and the rapidly evolving FDA landscape. Niki brings to the program her extensive experience shepherding innovative therapeutics through the regulatory process and timely insights into the complexities of transitioning from the bench to the bedside.

Whether you’re from industry or academia, today’s conversation will help wrap all our heads around testing novel therapies for the first time in humans.

The ASGCT Annual Meeting is almost here! Join us in New Orleans May 13-17 for the premier event in CGT and save $465 by joining ASGCT and using the incredible discounts the Society provides to members. Visit annualmeeting.asgct.org to check out the full program, plan your trip, and register for the ASGCT Annual Meeting.

Music by: https://www.steven-obrien.net/
--------------------------
Bright New Morning - Steven O'Brien

(Used for free under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Show your support for ASGCT!: https://asgct.org/membership/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Drs. Ayşegül Yildiz and Tim Beissert join Dr. Paloma Giangrande to discuss a recent article published in Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids by Drs. Yildiz. Beissert, and colleagues titled “Trans-amplifying RNA expressing functional miRNA mediates target gene suppression and simultaneous transgene expression”.

Are you registered for ASGCT’s 2025 Annual Meeting in New Orleans? Join us May 13-17 for the premier event in our field and save $465 as an ASGCT member. Check out the full program, plan your trip, and register for the ASGCT Annual Meeting by visiting annualmeeting.asgct.org.

In This Episode

Paloma Giangrande, PhD
Editor-in-chief of Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids
Senior Vice President Discovery & Translational Biology, Orbital Therapeutics

Ayşegül Yildiz, PhD
Scientist of TRON’s Cardiovascular Therapeutics Group

Tim Beissert, PhD
Senior Scientist and Group Leader of TRON’s Vector Development and Gene Transfer Team

Show your support for ASGCT!: https://asgct.org/membership/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join host Emily Walsh Martin and guest Brendan Hayes, senior director of education and innovative therapies at the National Bleeding Disorders Foundation, formerly known as the National Hemophilia Foundation. for an illuminating conversation about trust, innovation, and the power of patient advocacy in advancing cell and gene therapies.

Together, they dive into how patient communities shape the development of new therapies, the historical context that influences decision-making in clinical trials, and the unique considerations facing those who might choose to pursue cell and gene therapies.

You can also hear Brendan in a panel discussion titled The Journey from Early-stage Trials to Approval at ASGCT’s Empowering Patients 2025: A Cell and Gene Therapies Summit. Hosted live on March 12 and 13, you can register for this free, patient-centered virtual event by visiting ASGCT.org/EP2025.

Music by: https://www.steven-obrien.net/
--------------------------
Bright New Morning - Steven O'Brien

(Used for free under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Show your support for ASGCT!: https://asgct.org/membership/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's episode takes us into crucial territory where science meets ethics in gene therapy development. Following our recent compelling conversation with Ben Hurlbut on germline genetic editing, we're diving deeper into the ethical dimensions of bringing new treatments to patients.

We'll explore two critical challenges that development teams face: determining the initial dose for therapy and establishing acceptable parameters for off-target effects before clinical testing. While these decisions are grounded in scientific data, they carry profound ethical implications – especially considering that AAV-based therapies are currently "one and done" treatments, where redosing isn't yet possible.

Thomas Wechsler, chair of the ASGCT Ethics Committee, will join us to help us navigate the technical and ethical dimensions of these crucial decisions. His unique perspective will help us understand how teams balance scientific rigor with ethical responsibility when introducing new therapies to the clinic.

Music by: https://www.steven-obrien.net/
--------------------------
Bright New Morning - Steven O'Brien

(Used for free under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Show your support for ASGCT!: https://asgct.org/membership/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.