GENE-THERAPY IN THE FIGHT AGAINST AIDS

This review summarises the patent and primary literature relating to g ene therapy for HIV infection over the last year and comments on treat ments under pre-clinical evaluation or in Phase I and II clinical tria ls. There is relatively little activity as yet in the clinical trial a rena and there have been few major innovations in gene therapy approac hes over this period. Hanging over this field, as in other areas of ge ne therapy, is the controversy over patenting of ex vivo gene therapy and doubts regarding the utility of certain vectors such as adeno-asso ciated virus (AAV).