Disclosed are water-soluble gel-based compositions for the delivery of recombinant adeno-associated
virus (rAAV) vectors that express
nucleic acid segments encoding therapeutic constructs including peptides, polypeptides, ribozymes, and catalytic
RNA molecules, to selected cells and tissues of
vertebrate animals. Also disclosed are gel-based rAAV compositions are useful in the treatment of mammalian, and in particular, human diseases, including for example, cardiac
disease or dysfunction, and musculoskeletal disorders and congenital myopathies, including, for example,
muscular dystrophy, acid
maltase deficiency (Pompe's
disease), and the like. In illustrative embodiments, the invention provides rAAV vectors comprised within a biocompatible gel composition for enhanced viral delivery /
transfection to mammalian tissues, and in particular to
vertebrate muscle tissues such as a
human heart or diaphragm tissue.