News

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Wilate as a prophylactic (preventive) and on-demand treatment for bleeding episodes in adults and adolescents with hemophilia A. Wilate, developed and marketed by Octapharma, is an injectable medication that contains human plasma-derived von Willebrand Factor (VWF)…

Moderate muscle rehabilitation exercises — based on the use of elastic bands or training machines — are safe and effective for people with severe hemophilia receiving prophylactic (preventive) treatment, a study suggests. The findings of the study, titled “Electromyographic and Safety Comparisons of Common Lower Limb Rehabilitation…

Problems at work, limited engagement in recreational activities, and less relationship satisfaction contribute to a lower health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and greater pain severity, as reported by adults with hemophilia B, according to a study. Findings also showed that anxiety and depression in caregivers of children with this…

A preventive treatment for hemophilia B called dalcinonacog alfa (DalcA) led to an increase of more than 12% in the levels of factor IX in two patients with severe disease treated in a Phase 2 trial, reaching the study’s main goal. Researchers also found no immune reaction against the therapy. Enrollment is…

A gene therapy approach using a so-called antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) conditioning regimen led to safe and sustained production of factor VIII (FVIII) in platelets, and prevented joint bleeding in a mouse model of hemophilia A, according to new research. The study, “Nongenotoxic antibody-drug conjugate conditioning…

The gene therapies AMT-060 and AMT-061 both restored coagulation factor IX levels in a primate model of hemophilia B, but AMT-061 resulted in greater coagulation activity at the same dose, a new study reports. The study, “Enhanced Factor IX Activity Following Administration of AAV5-R338L “Padua” Factor IX…

Next month’s annual conference of the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) in Washington, D.C., couldn’t come at a better time, says Marshall Summar, MD, chairman of NORD’s board of directors. “The pace of discovery in rare diseases has gone from brisk to hypersonic,” Summar told Bionews Services, publisher…

Health insurance is largely effective for Chinese patients with rare diseases such as hemophilia when it comes to being able to utilize healthcare services and buy medication. However, affordable and accessible treatment is still lacking and there is still a need for improvement in diagnostics and treatment of these rare…

Using Hemlibra (emicizumab) as prophylaxis lowers treatment costs considerably for people with hemophilia A compared to preventative factor (FVIII) treatment, according to an economic model study. The model predicts $47,814 in savings to U.S. payers in year one, and a potential for more $3 billion in savings over 20 years…

Many hemophilia patients experience undiagnosed symptoms of depression and anxiety that can impact their ability to cope with the disease and to adhere to treatment, a U.S. survey says. These findings shed light on psychological factors that affect the course of the disease, but with dedicated management and follow-up, depression…