Diabetes Cure with AAV Gene Therapy? Let's talk with Dr. Fraser Wright

Gene therapy isn’t science fiction anymore, it’s becoming one of the most exciting frontiers in diabetes care. In this episode, Dr. Jeremy Pettus and Dr. Steve Edelman sit down with Dr. Fraser Wright, career gene therapist and Co-Founder/Chief Gene Therapy Officer at Kriya Therapeutics, to explore how gene therapy could one day help the body make its own insulin.

Together, they unpack what gene therapy actually is, Dr. P’s involvement as a medical consultant for Kriya Therapeutics, how AAV (adeno-associated virus) vectors work, and what makes this “one-and-done” approach so different from traditional treatments. From success stories in blindness and hemophilia to emerging type 1 diabetes studies, the trio breaks down the science, the safety, and the hope behind this revolutionary research.

You’ll learn how gene therapy has moved from rare diseases to more common ones, why the first human trials in diabetes are on the horizon, and what and what this could mean for long-term blood sugar control and independence from injections.

Key Topics:

• Gene Therapy 101: How gene therapy differs from protein-based drugs like insulin, and why AAV vectors act as safe, engineered delivery vehicles rather than infectious viruses.
• Why AAV, Why Now: Seven FDA-approved AAV-based therapies have proven the potential of long-term, single-dose treatments.
• From Eyes to Endocrine: Lessons learned from retinal gene therapy are now guiding approaches to metabolic conditions like diabetes.
• The Type 1 Diabetes Approach: A muscle-targeted program aims to help the body naturally produce insulin and stabilize blood sugar levels.
• Control and Safety: Built-in glucose sensing and the ability to turn off gene expression ensure precision and reversibility.
• Real-World Considerations: How exercise, treatment site, and existing technologies like pumps or CGMs could work alongside this therapy.

0:00 – Intro: Jeremy and Steve introduce gene therapy and why this topic is a game-changer
2:15 – What gene therapy is and how it’s different from standard protein-based treatments
4:54 – Understanding AAV: safety, engineering, and why it’s the preferred delivery method
8:50 – Real-world success: seven FDA-approved AAV therapies for genetic diseases
12:20 – Lessons learned from treating blindness and how they apply to diabetes
17:40 – The Type 1 Diabetes model: using muscle tissue to produce insulin
22:15 – Managing control, glucose sensing, and preventing hypoglycemia
25:50 – Safety measures and how treatment can be reversed locally if needed
28:30 – Exercise, durability, and what animal studies reveal about real-life performance
31:10 – Timelines, trials, and what’s next for gene therapy in diabetes. What’s Ahead: Clinical trials expected to begin around 2026, offering cautious but real optimism for the future of diabetes treatment.

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