Technologies for the Non-Viral Delivery of Nucleic Acids: Gene Therapy of the Future

The development of genetic technologies has created the possibility to correct gene defects that can lead to hereditary diseases and also made it possible to create a wide array of potential therapies for the standard treatment of cancer. The main tool for the delivery of genetic material to cells is currently viral vectors. However, this technology is fraught with many disadvantages and limitations. The immunogenicity of viral vectors can cause various side effects during their introduction and, furthermore, may never be used again. Capacity restrictions of the viral genome prevent it from delivering many therapeutic genes with long nucleotide sequences. Bearing this in mind, it is extremely relevant to develop zero-risk systems for the delivery of nucleic acids, including genetic editing tools, in order to somehow circumvent these restrictions. Technologies that can ensure the effective delivery of genes with long nucleotide sequences, including genome editing systems, will expand the areas where genetic therapy is used and will significantly reduce the cost of such therapy, making genetic therapy drugs more accessible to patients in Russia. What are the latest achievements in genetic therapy as we look to the future? What influence will new technologies have on the spectrum of application and accessibility of genetic therapy? What possibilities do modern technologies possess for delivering virus-free genes? What new areas of therapeutic application of genome editing tools currently exist?