News

New data from clinical studies suggests that long-term preventive treatment of severe hemophilia A with Eloctate, or severe hemophilia B with Alprolix, increased quality of life and reduced annual bleeding rates. The data was presented in Melbourne, Australia at ISTH 2019, the 27th Congress of the International Society…

Health Canada has approved Esperoct, an engineered formulation of clotting factor VIII, for the treatment of hemophilia A in people of all ages. The approval covers prophylactic, or preventive treatment, on-demand use for controlling bleeding episodes, and use in reducing bleeding during surgery. Esperoct received similar approval…

Cell therapies may be a feasible way of achieving a long-term correction of bleeding disorders, preclinical data shared by Sigilon Therapeutics show. A single implant of Sigilon’s engineered cells given to mice enabled durable production of therapeutic levels of blood clotting factors and normalized bleeding time. The technology uses the…

Investigational gene therapy SB-525 can safely induce durable clotting factor VIII (FVIII) activity in patients with severe hemophilia A, preliminary data from the Phase 1/2 Alta clinical trial show. The trial’s most recent results were discussed at the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) 2019 Congress in…

Recommendations for vaccination practices for patients with hemophilia should be reassessed in an effort to minimize fear and emphasize the importance of vaccination to prevent infections, suggests a survey among physicians in Germany. Data from the PEDNET registry, a database of children with hemophilia, suggest that vaccination in close…

It wasn’t until Gordana Loleska’s son David was 14 years old that doctors in their native North Macedonia diagnosed his kidney, vision, and hearing problems as Alport syndrome. Although she had known for years that something was wrong, the news that David would battle a lifelong rare disease devastated…

Inadequate access to treatment centers, lack of expert care, and high bleeding rates lead to similar joint complications in hemophilia patients with and without inhibitors, and joint problems in 70% of the people taking part in a recent study in five developing countries. The research, “HAEMOcare:…

Bayer’s Jivi, an FVIII replacement therapy for hemophilia A, has a longer half-life and a slower clearance from blood circulation than Eloctate, and may protect against bleeding for longer periods, results of a Phase 1 trial in people with severe disease suggests. The study “Direct comparison of…

Based on feedback from the hemophilia B community, Aptevo Therapeutics announced that a 3,000 international unit (IU) vial assay of Ixinity  is now available for patients preferring the convenience of a larger assay over the smaller IUs on the market for this intravenous recombinant factor IX. The…

A violinist with vasculitis, two Texas politicians and a pharmaceutical company whose marijuana-derived therapy helps kids with Dravet syndrome were among winners of the 2019 Rare Impact Awards. Officials of the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) presented the awards during a June 22 dinner attended by…