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In recognition of Rare Disease Day Feb. 29, Bionews Services launched a social media campaign last month asking patients to describe what makes them rare. Running Feb. 7–29, the #WhatMakesMeRare campaign was aimed at uplifting people with rare diseases by encouraging them to share their stories and perspectives. The…

PRX-102 (pegunigalsidase alfa), Protalix BioTherapeutics’ investigational enzyme replacement therapy, led to clinical improvements in adults with Fabry disease, according to data from two Phase 1/2 trials. The therapy lowered both kidney globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) inclusions and blood levels of Gb3, showing that it reaches affected tissues, and…

Beginning on Feb. 29, Rare Disease Day, chapters from notable scientific books and clinical review articles covering rare disorders will be available free-of-charge from Elsevier. The offer runs through April 30, and aims to supports work by researchers and clinicians into a better understanding of and treatments for rare diseases, as well…

Starting a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit isn’t easy, but the National Organization for Rare Disorders gave a few tips for those  looking to begin the complex process in its Feb. 20 webinar.  William Whitman…

An abundance of events are afoot around the world to mark Rare Disease Day 2020 on Feb. 29. The activities are focused on heightening awareness about rare diseases and the hundreds of millions of individuals they are thought to affect. Patients, caregivers, and advocates worldwide will sport denim ribbons…

Genetic screenings for people at high risk for Fabry disease — particularly those with kidney disease requiring dialysis — can help physicians diagnose the rare genetic disorder early, according to a recent review study. Such early diagnosis allows patients to start treatment promptly, preventing unnecessary…

Protalix BioTherapeutics and Chiesi Farmaceutici announced the start of a pediatric study plan (iPSP) to test PRX-102 (pegunigalsidase alfa) in children with Fabry disease, in agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Fabry is characterized by the lack of an enzyme called…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a vast government bureaucracy, employs about 17,500 people and had a budget of $5.7 billion in 2019. Yet even with its enormous resources, the FDA these days relies more and more on patients to…

The gleaming new Dutch headquarters of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), fronting Domenico Scarlattilaan in Amsterdam’s suburban Zuidas business district, finally opened for business last month — just over two years after the European Union decided to relocate the EMA to the Netherlands in the wake of Brexit.

A new evaluation tool, the FAbry STabilization indEX (Fastex), can help detect disease progression in individuals with Fabry disease, and could become useful in routine practice and clinical trial assessments. The tool was described in a paper, titled “FAbry STabilization indEX (FASTEX): Clinical evaluation of disease progression in…