Adeno-associated virus-mediated gene delivery

Several gene delivery vehicles are being developed for somatic gene therapy and each of these vectors has unique properties which makes them appropria te for different human disease applications. Recombinant adenoassociated vi ral (rAAV) vectors are proving themselves to be safe and efficacious for th e long-term expression of proteins and correction of genetic diseases follo wing a single administration. The increasing number of tissues and diseases being targeted with rAAV Vectors demonstrates their versatility and has re sulted in different approaches for enhancing vector performance. Improving the methods for large-scale manufacturing, and accumulating safety and effi cacy data in animals and humans are areas of intense research. Copyright (C ) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.