The vagus nerve, the longest cranial nerve running from the brain through to the abdomen, is wider in people with familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP) than in people without the disease, a small study in China found. Researchers also observed that its dimensions, measured by ultrasound imaging, correlated with the…
The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) asks Americans to plan ahead to participate in the Light Up for Rare campaign to raise awareness of rare diseases. NORD is the U.S. sponsor for Rare Disease Day on Feb. 28. The annual awareness day spotlights approximately 7,000…
Ionis Pharmaceuticals has entered into a collaboration agreement with AstraZeneca to develop and commercialize eplontersen, Ionis’ investigational therapy to treat transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR). ATTR amyloidosis is a group of conditions characterized by the formation of toxic aggregates or clumps of the TTR protein that build up in…
Heart involvement is more prevalent among men with hereditary transthyretin (ATTRv) amyloidosis, a group of rare disorders that includes familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP), a study reports. Findings suggest that female sex may be protective against heart disease in ATTRv, and that being male may also contribute to disease worsening. The…
A clinical trial of the gene-editing therapy NTLA-2001 in people with familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP) is expanding to include those with a related condition, called ATTR amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM), Intellia Therapeutics, which is developing the therapy, reported. FAP is a form of ATTR amyloidosis — a group of disorders…
Protego Biopharma has raised $51 million to support the development of therapies for diseases caused by protein misfolding, such as familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP). The series A financing was co-led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, Vida Ventures, and MPM Capital. As part of the financing, representatives from these three…
An annual decline in sensory nerve function — one greater than 25% — occurs as long as two years before the onset of familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP) in people carrying Val30Met, the most common disease-causing mutation in FAP, a study shows. Such drops in function, as measured by non-invasive…
The benefits of Vutrisiran in reducing neurologic impairment and overall disability, and improving the quality of life in adults with familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP) were sustained over 18 months, according to new data from the ongoing Phase 3 HELIOS-A trial. “These results build on the positive vutrisiran data…
A retrospective study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) suggests that healthcare costs for those with rare diseases have been underestimated, possibly being three to five times higher than for those without rare diseases. This study provides evidence of the potential effect rare diseases may have on public health…
Note: This story was updated Nov. 24, 2021 to clarify that NTLA-2001 works by disrupting the TTR gene to reduce transthyretin levels.  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given orphan drug designation to NTLA-2001, an investigational gene-editing therapy for familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP) and other forms of…