Gene therapy for severe combined immunodeficiency due to adenosine deaminase deficiency.

The severe combined immunodeficiency caused by the absence of adenosine deaminase (SCID-ADA) was the first monogenic disorder for which gene therapy was developed. Over 30 patients have been treated worldwide using the current protocols, and most of them have experienced clinical benefit; importantly, in the absence of any vector-related complications. In this document, we review the progress made so far in the development and establishment of gene therapy as an alternative form of treatment for ADA-SCID patients.