News

Blood NfL levels may mark the onset of symptoms in FAP

Blood levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL) — a marker of nerve cell damage — can separate people with symptoms of forms of hereditary ATTR amyloidosis (hATTR), including familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP), from those who haven’t developed symptoms yet. That’s according to a study in Italy that also showed…

Ultrasound may help assess FAP peripheral nerve malfunction

An ultrasound of the peripheral nerves could help monitor disease progression in people with early-stage familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP) who carry V30M, the most common disease-causing mutation. That’s according to a study in Sweden that also showed that while about half of patients analyzed showed no signs of peripheral…

FAP-like profile seen in brothers with heart damage-linked mutation

Two Italian brothers carrying V122I, a TTR gene mutation often linked to hereditary ATTR amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy (hATTR-CM), developed neurological symptoms that resembled familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP), with little or no heart involvement, a study shows. The cases add to the growing number of studies reporting symptoms of nerve…

Alnylam to no longer pursue US approval of Onpattro for ATTR-CM

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has rejected Alnylam Pharmaceuticals‘ application seeking the expansion of its Onpattro (patisiran) label to include treatment of people with ATTR amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM), or heart damage. Based on the regulatory rejection, Alnylam has decided to no longer pursue an approval of…

Full eplontersen Phase 3 trial results support efficacy in FAP

More than a year of treatment with the experimental therapy eplontersen significantly reduces blood levels of transthyretin — the protein that accumulates to toxic levels in familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP) — eases nerve damage-related disability, and improves quality of life for patients. That’s according to the full results…

Detecting touch, temperature may help predict FAP onset

Testing the ability to sense temperatures and mechanical forces could help predict when symptoms will appear for people who carry mutations that cause familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP). That’s according to “Quantitative sensory testing and skin biopsy findings in late-onset ATTRv presymptomatic carriers: Relationships with predicted time of disease…