title: "Dressed-up" naked plasmids: emerging vectors for non-viral gene therapy.
abstract: The non-viral vectors and targeting methods offer some specific advantages. These include better safety profiles (lower toxicity and non-infectious properties) and the capacity to transfer large genes and low production costs. The clinical usefulness of non-viral methods has been hindered by their relatively low gene delivery and transgene expression efficiencies. However, recent problems in clinical trials using viral vectors renewed interest in non-viral technologies, particularly that the properties of non-viral vectors make them appear closer to the traditional pharmaceutics.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Medicine, Institute of Biomedical and Biomolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, St. Michael's Building, White Swan Road, Portsmouth, UK. darek.gorecki@port.ac.uk
authors.forename: Dariusz C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Gôrecki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000639:trends*; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D010957:Plasmids / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers