Scientists believe they can treat cystic fibrosis patients by combining two killer viruses. Tests on monkeys have shown that a safe hybrid of HIV and Ebola delivers corrective genes to the lungs better than any other method. Cystic fibrosis, which affects more than 7,500 people in the UK, causes the lungs to clog up. HIV inserts genes into cells, but does not target the lung lining cells involved in CF. Ebola, on the other hand, binds strongly to these cells.
Cystic fibrosis is one of those diseases that has been on the brink of a cure for quite a while now. Hopefully this will put science over the top.
[Hat-tip: Drudge]
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