Participating in the trials that demonstrated the treatment’s efficacy, Elliott Collins was among the first to get it.
He claims that the gene therapy has given him a “new lease of life” and that he feels “cured.”
The official cost of the therapy is £2.6 million, making it one of the priciest in the world.
The body reacts to a cut by releasing several clotting proteins into the bloodstream.
As a result, the blood at the wound site becomes sticky and forms a clot to seal it.
However, Elliott’s inability to produce enough clotting factor IX began the day he was born.
Bleeds are larger and last longer when this vital clotting component is absent. Additionally, spontaneous bleeding can occur inside joints, including the elbow or knee, leading to long-term harm.
Colchester native Elliott, 34, disobeyed his diagnosis as a child by surreptitiously participating in rugby or skating.
But any cut, like when he was tackled while playing football, may cause serious bleeding.
“I got studs right across the shin and that came up like a cartoon, like Tom and Jerry,” claimed the man.
For 29 years, Elliott required twice-weekly injections of factor IX, and more frequently if he sustained an injury.
