News

Patients Wanted to Test Device for Detecting Cardiac Problems in Fabry

A clinical study in the U.K. is recruiting adults with Fabry disease (FD) to determine whether implantable loop recorders (ILRs) — a device for continuous heart monitoring — can improve arrhythmia detection and identify risk predictors for cardiac problems. Participants’ heart rhythms will be tracked, using the surgically implanted…

‘Sequencing First’ Strategy Aims to Speed Diagnosis

Mendelics and Takeda are partnering for a new program that aims to use a genetic sequencing strategy to make diagnosis of Fabry disease easier and faster. Fabry disease is caused by mutations in the GLA gene located on the X chromosome. This gene provides instructions for making the alpha-galactosidase…

CARS Microscopy Technique May Help Identify Heart Involvement

A tissue analysis technique called CARS microscopy could be useful for identifying heart involvement in Fabry disease, according to a new study. Fully known as Coherent anti-Stokes Raman microscopy, the technique “allows early, reliable and efficient detection of [Fabry]-triggered alterations in affected organs,” such as the heart, the researchers…

Galafold Safe, Effective at Reducing Heart Damage: Real-life Study

Galafold (migalastat) is generally safe and significantly reduces disease-associated heart enlargement in Fabry disease patients carrying Galafold-amenable mutations, according to two-year data from a real-life, multicenter study in Germany. These benefits were generally similar between patients who had previously received standard enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) and those who…

Fabry GLA Gene Variant Found in Parkinson’s Patients

A variant in the GLA gene associated with Fabry disease was found in four women with Parkinson’s disease, but they had no Fabry symptoms, according to results from a study of 236 Parkinson’s patients. According to the research team, the significance of the mutation and the relationship between the two…

Rare Autoimmune Kidney Disorder Seen With Fabry Disease

The case of a man with Fabry disease that co-occurred with a rare autoimmune kidney disorder was described in a recent report. While it’s possible that the rare combination was coincidental, researchers speculated that damage to the kidneys resulting from Fabry disease might have set the stage for the…