Aventis Pharma S.a.

Philippe Horellou

Michel Perricaudet

Jacques Mallet

Emmanuelle Vigne

Fr&eacute;d&eacute;ric Revah

Recombinant adenoviruses comprising a heterologous DNA sequence coding for glial-derived neurotrophic growth factor (GDNF) are provided. The recombinant adenoviruses are useful in a method of expressing GDNF in a cell, wherein the cell is present in a mammal suffering from Parkinson's disease, comprising infecting said cell with a replication-defective recombinant adenovirus comprising a DNA sequence encoding GDNF operably linked to a promoter by administering the adenovirus into cells of the central nervous system. The recombinant adenoviruses of the invention are also useful in a method of treating Parkinson's disease comprising administering into cells of the central nervous system of a mammal suffering therefrom a replication defective recombinant adenovirus comprising ITRs, an encapsidation sequence and a DNA sequence encoding GDNF operably linked to a promoter, wherein the adenovirus E1 gene is non-functional and GDNF is expressed at a level that provides a therapeutic effect.

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Paris, France

Philippe Horellou