Breakthrough as ‘designer cell’ therapy fights girl’s leukaemia

The head of research at the Irish Cancer Society has praised the designer of immune cell therapy which was used to reverse leukaemia in a one-year-old girl, and said it demonstrates how important such research is.

“It really shows how important research is and the impact it can have and the hope that it can give people,” Dr Robert O’Connor said.

Dr O’Connor was speaking after doctors in London used a new gene-editing technique to manipulate cells and fight the cancer in one-year-old Layla Richards at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) in London.