News

Same But Different, a U.K. nonprofit that uses the arts to bring communities together, is holding a calendar photography competition to raise awareness for rare diseases. Under the theme “A Glimmer of Hope,” the competition is a means to “visually express the hope that exists for people affected by…

Much like people with type 1 Gaucher disease (GD), patients with type 3 may be at greater risk of developing features of Parkinson’s disease as they get older, a case series suggests. The study, “Parkinsonism in patients with neuronopathic (type 3) Gaucher disease: A…

Raremark, an online rare disease patient community, has launched a digital platform called Xperiome, aimed at streamlining the search for new medicines for rare disorders and incorporating more patient input into research. The goal is to help the pharmaceutical industry deliver innovative new therapies faster and smarter, the…

Centogene and Evotec have expanded their collaboration agreement to focus on the development of new treatments for Gaucher disease and other rare disorders caused by mutations in the GBA gene, the companies announced. This expanded partnership builds upon a previous collaboration agreement, launched in 2018,…

The EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases has launched a scholarship fund in the U.S. to support individuals with rare disorders who are pursuing personal goals through training and education. The initial phase of the five-year, $1-million #RAREis Scholarship Fund will include 32 scholarships — each totaling $5,000 —…

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the postponement of a rare disease film festival originally slated for May, its organizers set out to find a new way to bring the films to an audience.  Co-founders Daniel DeFabio and Bo Bigelow, who are both fathers of children with…

Measuring the levels of glucosylsphingosine (Lyso-Gb1) — a diagnostic biomarker of Gaucher disease — in dried blood spots is a reliable method to monitor the effectiveness of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) in people with the disease, a study shows. The findings, based on Lyso-Gb1 monitoring over more…

Children with Gaucher disease who are on enzyme-replacement therapy (ERT) continue to have abnormal levels of immune cells, despite partial improvements, a study suggests. Therefore, these patients may need long-term ERT to restore their immune responses to desired levels, scientists say. The study, “Downregulation of…

In Spain, a quarter of Gaucher disease patients being given enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) infusions at hospitals experienced dose interruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a study reports. Greater attention needs to be given to ways of ensuring continued treatment for these people, including ways of ensuring at-home use, its…

A first patient has been treated in a Phase 1/2 trial of AVR-RD-02, Avrobio‘s investigational gene therapy for Gaucher disease type 1, the company announced. “The first patient dosed is an important milestone for the Gaucher disease community and our AVR-RD-02 program,” Geoff MacKay, president and CEO of Avrobio, said…