Fanconi anemia future or investigational therapies
Therapies under development
● Gene therapy – Gene therapy has the potential to improve bone marrow function in individuals with FA since the origin of bone marrow failure is deficiency of an FA gene function. Gene-corrected CD34+ stem cells from FA patients have been engrafted in immune-deficient mice, but successful clinical applications of gene therapy for FA have not yet been demonstrated.[1]
● Metformin – In a mouse model of FA (FANCD2 gene knockout), metformin produced modest increases in white blood cell (WBC) counts, hemoglobin levels, and platelet counts [22]. There was also reduced p53-dependent tumor formation and a suggestion of decreased susceptibility to DNA damage. Metformin has not been evaluated in patients with FA.