Gene Therapy for Retinitis Pigmentosa and Other Conditions

Imagine living with a genetic disease that could cause blindness in your 40s—and your doctor tells you there are no treatment options. It's for patients like these that Johnson & Johnson is harnessing cutting-edge technology in the hope of finding real solutions.

By Hallie Levine — October 11, 2021

It can be devastating to watch someone slowly lose their vision.

Just ask James List, M.D., Ph.D., Global Therapeutic Area Head of Cardiovascular, Metabolism and Retina at Janssen Research & Development, part of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson. Before he joined the company in 2014, the Harvard endocrinologist spent his days counseling patients with diabetes. "Many people don't realize that diabetes can cause irreversible damage to multiple organs, including the eyes," he says.