So it begins


November 16th we were at NIH for additional blood work and for Ray to sign the consent for apheresis in order to prepare for the XSCID gene therapy protocol. However, this is not the first time Ray has been to NIH for apheresis. He was there in 2001 when both Joie Davis and Dr. Puck were still at NIH. We were considering gene therapy at that time, but then the trials were halted after several boys in the XSCID gene therapy trials in France and England developed T-cell leukemia.

Now with revised protocols and different vectors, now a lentiviral vector, Ray is ready to move forward. The cells which were collected in 2001 are still available for Ray. So, when he receives his transduced cells back, some will be from this apheresis and some will be from the apheresis done in 2001.

Ray will be admitted to NIH on December 5th and the line placement for apheresis and the apheresis itself is scheduled for Wednesday, December 7th.

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