Pregnant women support first maternal gene therapy trial

Pregnant women would be willing to trial maternal growth factor gene therapy to treat severe early-onset fetal growth restriction (FGR) in their unborn babies, according to a new study. If the proposed trial goes ahead it is likely to be the first time maternal gene therapy has ever been used. The study which examined ethical and legal questions raised by maternal gene therapy was carried out by University College London (UCL), Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), and 8 other leading EU higher education institutions and industrial partners who form the EVERREST* consortium. The consortium have been working together since 2013 to develop a therapy for FGR, a condition which affects up to 8 per cent of all pregnancies. Inadequate uterine blood flow, termed placental insufficiency, is the underlying abnormality in many cases. There is currently no treatment. Dr Anna David (UCL Institute for Women's Health) and the EVERREST consortium lead said: "The EVERREST consortium aims to carry out the first trial of this therapy in pregnant women whose babies are most severely affected by fetal growth restriction to test out its safety and efficacy.