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An altered HIV virus has been used to cure sickle cell anaemia
in mice.
The virus transferred healthy genes into the animals' bone marrow.
Experts say the research is a milestone in the treatment of the
blood disorder which causes millions of deaths each year.
The work was carried out by a team of Harvard Medical School and
Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers.
Philippe Leboulch, who lead the team, said: "It corrected
the sickling problem throughout the bodies of these mice. All of
the mice were cured permanently."
Mr Leboulch says more study is needed and that it will be at least
two years before the technique will be ready for human experiments.
Sickle cell anaemia is an inherited disease which leads to poorly
formed blood cells which are less efficient and can clog arteries.
It is classed as incurable.
Michel Sadelain, of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre
in New York, said: "This is an exciting result. It is an important
milestone in gene therapy."
A report on the study appears in the journal Science.
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