Which procedural approach requires harvesting patient cells, modifying them in a lab, and then reinfusing them?
Answer
Ex vivo therapy
Ex vivo gene therapy is defined by its multi-step process occurring largely outside of the living patient. This method begins with cell collection, often involving drawing stem cells or immune cells from the patient’s body. These harvested cells are then taken to a highly controlled laboratory environment where they are mixed with the therapeutic vector, allowing the genetic modification to occur outside the body. Following successful modification and expansion to create a sufficient therapeutic dose, these corrected cells are subsequently infused back into the patient. This contrasts sharply with in vivo therapy where the administration and subsequent action happen entirely within the body.
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