Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB recently announced that Eloctate (efmoroctocog alfa; brand name Elocta in Europe), a treatment for hemophilia A, has been approved for reimbursement in the United Kingdom, Italy, and France. These countries join others in the European Union — Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, the Netherlands,…
Sangamo BioSciences announced that its zinc finger nuclease (ZFN)-mediated genome editing product, SB-FIX, has received orphan drug designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), speeding its development as a potential treatment for hemophilia B. Sangamo plans to initiate a Phase 1/2 clinical trial, SB-FIX-1501, in adults with this disease later…
A number of clinical studies have reported that bone marrow-derived cells contribute to the production of clotting factor VIII (FVIII), the molecule linked to hemophilia A. Because the current treatment for this bleeding disorder is associated with some disadvantages and risk, hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) has become an emerging therapy approach…
Researchers in India recently reported the case of child with hemophilia and traumatic intracerebellar hemorrhage, who was successfully treated with transfusions of plasma. They recommend a conservative approach as a first line of treatment, before more invasive alternatives such as surgery. The case report, “Intracerebellar haemorrage in a haemophilia child,” was published in…
In hemophilia A, the most significant therapeutic complication is the development of antibodies against factor VIII (FVIII) that inhibit its coagulant activity and make the therapy ineffective. The plasma-derived porcine FVIII product represents a therapy with low levels of autoantibodies and successful management of bleeding when compared to human plasma-derived products.
CSL Behring’s rVIII-SingleChain, a novel recombinant Factor VIII (rFVIII) treatment candidate, recently demonstrated effectiveness in surgery and in the control of bleeding in patients with severe hemophilia A. The Phase 1 to Phase 3 clinical trial results, recently published in the journal Blood, also demonstrated low annualized bleeding rates in patients…
Ruptured spleens are rare in newborns, usually occurring secondary to an underlying coagulation disorder, such as hemophilia, or a splenic abnormality. Here, researchers report the first case of a newborn with a spontaneous splenic rupture and severe hemophilia A who was successfully treated without surgical intervention. The case study, “…
Researchers at several Canadian institutions investigated the tendencies of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among teenagers and young adults with hemophilia A (HA) and found that young adults demonstrated more joint disease and worse HRQoL when physical function and pain were considered. The research paper, “Generic and disease-specific quality of…
The association of hemophilia A (AHA) and myelofibrosis, a bone marrow disorder, is uncommon and rarely described but in a recent case study, researchers at the Centre Hospitalier Metropole Savoie, in France, reported a patient with AHA secondary to hematological malignancy whose rapid and challenging diagnosis — and timely treatment — was…
In addition to its clinical challenges, hemophilia is characterized by a major economic burden that affects patients, care givers, the healthcare system and society. In a recent report, Sheh-Li Chen, PharmD, from the University of North Carolina Medical Center, identifies the most significant areas of healthcare hemophilia management, highlighting the importance of the…
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