On Sunday, December 1, 2024, Dr. Eric Winer interviewed Cece Calhoun, MD, MPHS, MBA, Assistant Professor of Medicine (Hematology) and Medical Director of the Sickle Cell Program. Dr. Calhoun's expertise and dedication make her a respected figure in the field of hematology, particularly in the realm of sickle cell disease and health equity.
On this episode of Yale Cancer Answers, Dr. Calhoun discusses the recent breakthrough in gene therapy for the treatment of sickle cell disease. CASGEVY, a gene therapy for sickle-cell disease, was recently approved by the FDA. “There are so many new, cool, and exciting things going on in the field of sickle cell disease. I think what the scientific community is most excited about is the introduction of gene therapy or gene editing as a cure for sickle cell disease. It gives the opportunity for a person with sickle cell disease to have a procedure that allows them to either no longer make sickle cells, or to increase the amount of fetal hemoglobin, which is a type of red blood cell we make as a baby to decrease the amount of sickle cells produced in the body.”