Jesse Gelsinger

Ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency (OTC)

Divya Trehan

Kathryn Clark

Shalini Kochicheril

Tanya Tyler

and

OTC

• Affects 1 in 25,000 births• Mutation on X chromosome• Person is born with a liver unable to

eliminate ammonia made after metabolism• Regulated by special diet and medication• Gene therapy in progress• Jesse Gelsinger died Sept. 17 1999 from a

clinical trial

What Went Wrong?

• Penn researchers developed an adenovirus vector which was developed for the transfer of good OTC genes which was more toxic than other vectors used in gene transfer.

• How a vector is inserted: http://www.thirteen.org/innovation/show1/html/animation2.html

• When tested on animals (mouse, monkey, baboons) and one human patient, flu-like side effects along with mild inflammation which disappeared on its own.

Findings

• Risks of toxic effects of adenovirus particles were mitigated

• Was not informed that monkeys injected with virus died

• Didn’t tell how previous humans tested suffered serious adverse side effects

• The institute didn’t properly track the health of volunteers after the experiment began. Lost track of several lots of experimental genes that had been infused into patients livers

How he was misled

• Jesse’s father testified to FDA that Penn researchers informed him that previous study volunteers had experienced a 50% improvement in liver function. In fact, no such study was documented.

Jesse’s Story

• It was an ongoing 2 year trial• Began on his 18th birthday• His liver was infused with trillions of genetically

disabled cold viruses containing the corrected OTC genes.

• This virus caused an immune system revolt which caused his immune system to attack his lungs and vital organs. He died four days later.