Viral vectors for gene therapy and gene modification approaches

Presently, viral vectors are widespread biological products, some of which have already been commercialized. They are derived from viruses modified to render them apt for gene transfer and safe for clinical purposes. They have several applications including the treatment of rare and acquired diseases as well as vaccination. This review briefly presents the four viral vectors mainly used currently (adenoviral, adeno-associated viral, γ-retroviral, and lentiviral vectors), as well as their biology and manufacturing issues. Furthermore, their applications in gene therapy/gene addition and protein transfer approaches are described.