A 19-year-old severe thalassemia patient has recently become China's first successful case cured through cell and gene therapy at Nansha Hospital of Guangzhou First Municipal People's Hospital. This achievement marks the completion of the nation's pioneering clinical application for transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia, resulting in what physicians describe as a definitive cure.
"I can finally go hiking and climbing mountains!" said the patient, Xiao Zhi (pseudonym), who comes from Chengdu, Sichuan Province. Having battled severe β-thalassemia since infancy, he endured 18 years of life-sustaining blood transfusions that led to critical iron overload and multi-organ damage.
After undergoing an assessment that included stem cell collection, Xiao Zhi had the procedure in early May. His hemoglobin and neutrophil counts now show sustained growth, with hematopoietic and immune functions steadily normalizing.
"This represents authentic healing, circumventing the rejection risks inherent in traditional transplants," stated Dr. Huang Jinqi, Deputy Director of Hematology at the hospital. He emphasized that severe thalassemia—an inherited hemolytic disorder—historically cut life expectancy to under 20 years without treatment, while conventional therapies remained costly and hazardous. "Cell and gene therapy shatters these limitations."
Since launching the program in March 2025, Nansha Hospital has screened numerous eligible patients, predominantly adolescents.
Reporter: Li Xindi, Liang Shiting
Photo: Cheng Yumu
Editor: Wei Shen, James, Shen He
