Gene therapy of arthritis and orthopaedic disorders: current experimental approaches in China and in Canada

Abstract

Background: Gene therapy offers new possibilities for the clinical management of orthopaedic conditions that are difficult to treat by traditional surgical or medical means. Objective: This review discusses the different gene therapy strategies available today, the safety issues with which they may be associated, and the potential for cooperation between China and Canada. Results/conclusion: In the last decade, extensive improvements have been made to optimize gene therapy and have been tested on several orthopaedic conditions. China is a pioneer in some fields of gene therapy; the first anticancer gene therapy drug has been licensed in China. Canada has a very active research establishment and a populace that embraces new scientific developments, especially in medical sciences.

Keywords::

• arthritis
• gene therapy
• orthopaedic diseases