Family
Description
Examples
Gene Editing Therapies
Techniques that modify an organism's genetic material
CRISPR-Cas9, TALENs
Gene Replacement Therapies
Introducing a normal copy of a gene to compensate for a mutated one
Luxturna (for Leber congenital amaurosis)
Gene Silencing Therapies
Inhibiting or silencing expression of dysfunctional genes
Antisense oligonucleotides, siRNA
Viral Vector Therapies
Using viruses to deliver therapeutic genes into cells
AAV (adeno-associated virus), lentiviral vectors
Stem Cell Therapies
Using stem cells to regenerate damaged tissues or produce healthy cells
Hematopoietic stem cell transplant
CAR T-Cell Therapies
Genetically modifying T-cells to target specific cancer cells
Kymriah, Yescarta
Protein Replacement Therapies
Administering proteins to compensate for deficient or absent ones
Enzyme replacement therapies
Oncolytic Virus Therapies
Using viruses that selectively infect and kill cancer cells
Talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC)
Mechanism of Action: Therapies can act through multiple pathways; for example, gene-editing techniques can both replace and silence genes.
Combination Therapies: Some therapies may combine elements from multiple families; for instance, CAR T-cell therapies can involve both gene editing and viral vector delivery.
Evolving Technologies: Since the field is rapidly advancing, new methodological approaches could emerge, leading to the creation of subfamilies or subcategories.
This classification framework can help facilitate understanding, research, and clinical application of cell and gene therapies, while acknowledging the complexities inherent in their development and implementation.