A one-year-old girl in the UK who was the first person in the world to receive ‘designer’ immune cell therapy is now cancer-free.
Layla Richards was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia when she was just 14 weeks old and, after chemotherapy treatment and a bone marrow transplant failed to work, her family had been told that there were no other options left.
They were given the option to let Layla undergo ground-breaking and new experimental treatment at London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital, where scientists used a new gene-editing technique to manipulate cells to fight the disease.
Now this week, Layla’s response to the therapy has been described by doctors as “a miracle”.
“As this was the first time that the treatment had been used, we didn’t know if or when it would work and so we were over the moon when it did,” said Professor Paul Veys, director of bone marrow transplant at the hospital.
“Her leukaemia was so aggressive that such a response is almost a miracle.”
Doctors have stated that while the treatment has only been used once, the results are potentially promising.
“We have only used this treatment on one very strong little girl, and we have to be cautious about claiming that this will be a suitable treatment option for all children,” said Waseem Qasim, professor of cell and gene therapy at the Institute of Child Health and consultant immunologist at the hospital.
“But this is a landmark in the use of new gene engineering technology and the effects for this child have been staggering.
“If replicated, it could represent a huge step forward in treating leukaemia and other cancers.”
Layla is now at home with her family and doctors are waiting for a year or two to make sure the disease does not return before giving her the all clear.
