The Reagan-Udall Foundation for the FDA, in collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will host a hybrid public workshop on “Scientific Advancements in Gene Therapies: Opportunities for Global Regulatory Convergence.”

Gene therapies work by replacing, silencing, and/or modifying specific genes within a cell to treat, prevent, or cure a disease, and have been used to treat both inherited diseases such as sickle cell disease and acquired disorders such as leukemia.

This public workshop will provide a baseline about the current state of gene therapy interventions, including approved products and considerations for currently licensed gene therapy products and regulator roles regarding these therapies, particularly in low and middle income countries; explore the “next generation” of gene therapies and the breadth of where those products might be deployed; and discuss the opportunities and needs for regulatory oversight of these products in emerging markets. Speakers will include patient advocates, clinicians, academic researchers, biotech/pharma representatives, and regulators.