Baby with spinal muscular atrophy one of the first to get gene therapy in England

A baby with spinal muscular atrophy has become one of the first patients in England to be treated on the NHS with US gene therapy Zolgensma.

Three-month-old Riley Cadle-Birch, who was diagnosed with SMA Type 1, underwent the one-off gene therapy at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children.

Until two years ago there was no treatment for children with the condition, who experience progressive muscle weakness and have a life expectancy of two years.

But Zolgensma could prolong their lives and help them sit and crawl. The drug has a list price of £1.79m per dose and was made available on the NHS in March.