UK infant receives $2.5m gene therapy

This is five-month-old baby Arthur and he has become one of the first people to receive, according to the BBC, the world's most expensive medicine on Britain’s National Health Service.

... a specialized gene therapy drug worth about £1.8 million per patient, or over $2.5 million.

Arthur suffers from Spinal Muscular Atrophy, or SMA, a disorder that causes progressive muscle weakness.

Some permanent damage to the little boy's body has already been done.

Arthur is unable to lift his head and struggles to move his arms and legs, but doctors are hoping the Zolgensma gene therapy will stop further deterioration and stabilize his condition.

Reece Morgan is Arthur's father:

"Being able to now have the treatment is just going to be a game changer for us and give Arthur the best possible life he could have."

Untreated infants with the most severe form of SMA rarely survive beyond two, but Zolgensma gene therapy will hopefully increase their life expectancy up to 40 years.

According to the BBC, the NHS has negotiated a confidential discount for Arthur's treatment.