Hemophilia is a genetic disorder that limits the blood’s ability to clot and affects around 30,000 people in the United States, mostly males. Left untreated, it can cause spontaneous bleeding, particularly internal bleeding into the joints, which, over time, can cause painful joint damage and mobility issues. Hemophilia B is caused by a lack of clotting factor IX. The gene therapy enables the liver to create factor IX, which allows the blood to clot and protects patients from frequent bleeds.
“What we saw from patients in this study was that within a few days of receiving the gene therapy infusion, it took root, and their bodies started making factor IX for the first time in their lives,” says study investigator and lead author Adam Cuker, section chief for hematology, and clinical director of the Penn Blood Disorders Center and the Penn Comprehensive Hemophilia Program. “We always want to be careful about using the word ‘cure’ especially until we have longer follow-up data, but for many of these patients, it’s been life changing.”
“We hear from people born with hemophilia that—even if their disease is well-managed—there’s this burden that’s always in the back of their mind. The frequent infusions, the cost of treatment, the need to plan for infusions when traveling, what happens if they do experience a bleed, and so on, is always there,” Cuker says. “Now that we have patients who were treated on this study and are essentially cured of their hemophilia, they’re telling us about realizing a new, ‘hemophilia-free state of mind.’ As a physician, it’s amazing to see my patients so happy with their new reality.”
In Senegal, the ambitious Dakar Greenbelt project seeks to create an extensive network of ecological infrastructure in and around the city to sustainably address environmental concerns and enhance urban life. With support from David Gouverneur and Ellen Neises, Ph.D. candidate Rob Levinthal in the Weitzman School of Design led two courses that included a field trip to Dakar, that culminated in students presenting their visions for parts of the Greenbelt.
From a desert to an oasis: Penn engages in ambitious greening effort in the Sahel
Students from the Weitzman School of Design journeyed to Senegal to help with a massive ecological and infrastructural greening effort as part of their coursework. The Dakar Greenbelt aims to combat desertification and promote sustainable urban growth.
As part of an undergraduate course, Penn faculty and students curated an Arthur Ross Gallery exhibition of works from the Neumann family’s extensive collection of modern and contemporary art.
The University’s nexus for technology transfer supports researchers in their innovative efforts, from CAR T to mRNA advancements that have dramatically reshaped the world.
