One day, cell and gene therapies will be as common as small molecules and antibody-based therapies are today, according to panelists at BIO’s June 8 virtual session, “The Next Generation of Medicine: Cell Therapies, Gene Therapies and Beyond.”

Because cell and gene therapies have the potential to address complex biological issues such as dysregulation, translocation and mutations, they can use that power to change what the body is doing.

“So, while small molecules and antibody therapies will still be around 30 years from now, they will be less important. Cell and gene therapies will dominate,” James Sabry, global head of pharma partnering at Roche, said.

The personal genomics and biotechnology company 23andMe is perhaps best known for its home DNA testing kits, whereby consumers can learn about their genetic make-up or ancestry.

However, after the COVID-19 outbreak was declared a global pandemic, the company switched gears and looked to see how their gene testing services could offer a helping hand in understanding the disease’s pathophysiology.

One aspect of COVID-19 that has puzzled scientists and clinicians alike is why, when infected with SARS-CoV-2, do some patients display mild to moderate symptoms (or no symptoms at all), whereas other patients develop severe symptoms that can prove fatal?

For the first time, Italian scientists have been able to identify the genetic and molecular basis of this susceptibility to infection as well as to the possibility of contracting a more severe form of the disease. The research will be presented to the 53rd annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics, being held entirely on-line due to the Covid-19 pandemic, today [Saturday].

Chinese scientists also found that patients with blood type A were more likely to develop a severe case of COVID-19, according to the Times.

While the Chinese study does support the new study, questions remain on why blood type affects the severity of the illness. “That is haunting me, quite honestly,” said Franke.

The locus where the blood-type gene is located also contains DNA that acts an on-off switch for a gene producing a protein that triggers strong immune responses.

Genetic links hint at early migration from North America.