What are vectors and why are they important?
Vectors deliver genetic material to your cells. LYFGENIA™ uses a type of vector
known as a lentiviral vector (LVV).
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Understanding vectors How lentiviral vectors workJump to topics on page:
Understanding vectorsHow lentiviral vectors work
When discussing LYFGENIA with your doctor, it’s important to understand how vectors work and also know what they don’t do.
When discussing LYFGENIA with your doctor, it’s important to understand how vectors work and also know what they don’t do.
What types of vectors are there?
There are two commonly used types—viral and non-viral vectors.
What are viral vectors used for?
There’s a reason scientists create vectors based on viruses. It’s because viruses are very efficient at delivering genetic material to cells of the body.
Though vectors are based on viruses, they do not contain any of the parts of the virus that can cause an infection. They act as a delivery system for genetic materials into cells.
What type of vector does LYFGENIA use?
LYFGENIA uses the most widely studied viral vector type: a lentiviral vector. The most well-studied lentivirus is HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), and scientists have used its blueprint to design lentiviral vectors, which include some but not all parts of the virus.
How long have scientists been studying lentiviral vectors?
Lentiviral vectors (LVV) have been studied for the last 20 years.
Why is HIV used as a blueprint for lentiviral vectors? And can I get HIV from LYFGENIA?
No. LYFGENIA cannot cause HIV infection because parts of the HIV virus responsible for causing the infection have been removed.
LYFGENIA will not cause HIV infections. It may cause a false-positive HIV test result if using a PCR-based test. If you need to have an HIV test, talk with your doctor about which test to use.
Learn more about lentiviral vectors
To help you understand how lentiviral vectors work to deliver genetic materials to your stem cells, imagine the vector as an envelope containing genetic material (or the “letter”) and your stem cells as the “address” waiting to receive the letter. Using a lentiviral vector allows the genetic materials to reach your stem cells, like a letter reaching an address.
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A vector is like an envelope used to deliver genetic materials directly to your stem cells -
The LVV does NOT include parts of the virus that cause HIV infection and is built only using the parts of HIV that are good at delivering genetic material to your stem cells -
Working copies of the HBB (beta-globin) gene are added to the LVV -
The LVV then delivers the working copies of the HBB (beta-globin) gene directly into your stem cells
