Patent ID: 8518391

Claim:
A method for therapeutic gene delivery to a central nervous system of a patient in need thereof for the treatment of neurodegenerative disease comprising the steps of: isolating blood or bone marrow from a suitable donor; immunolabeling a plurality of Cd11b+ cells within said blood or bone marrow; purifying said plurality of immunolabeled Cd11b+ cells from said blood or bone marrow; introducing a vector containing a gene that expresses a protease capable of degrading amyloid peptide into the isolated Cd11b+ cells; and administering a therapeutically effective amount of the isolated Cd11b+ cells containing the introduced gene peripherally into the patient without irradiation of the patient or any portion of said patient, wherein the Cd11b+ cells containing the gene infiltrate amyloid plaques in the central nervous system of the patient in need thereof.