Philly scientists win 2026 Breakthrough Prize for developing gene therapy for blindness
Three Philadelphia scientists won the 2026 Breakthrough Prize for developing Luxturna, the first FDA-approved gene therapy for a genetic disease. Their work paved the way for over a dozen similar gene therapy approvals.
Three Philadelphia scientists, Jean Bennett, Katherine High, and Albert Maguire, have been awarded the $3 million Breakthrough Prize for developing Luxturna, a gene therapy for inherited retinal diseases. Luxturna was approved by the FDA in 2017 and has improved vision in patients with severe vision loss or blindness caused by mutations in the RPE65 gene. The therapy delivers a functional copy of the affected gene to patients' eyes, slowing disease progression. The scientists' collaboration, which combined expertise in molecular biology, ophthalmic surgery, and clinical trials, has been recognized as a major scientific advance. Their work has paved the way for over a dozen similar gene therapy approvals, establishing Philadelphia as a biotech hub. The Breakthrough Prize, founded in 2012 by tech giants, honors major scientific achievements.
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