Drug information

A committee of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recommended the approval of avalglucosidase alfa, a next-generation enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) developed by Sanofi Genzyme, for people with Pompe disease. That recommendation, by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP), paves the way for marketing authorization to be granted by…

AllianceRx Walgreens Prime, a specialty and home delivery pharmacy, is partnering with TailorMed, a healthcare technology company, to help lower out-of-pocket prescription costs for specialty pharmacy patients. Medications attained through specialty pharmacies are those used to treat rare and chronic conditions in the U.S., and are often extremely costly. For…

AT-GAA, an investigational therapy by Amicus Therapeutics for late-onset Pompe disease, will be available to select patients in the U.K. through an early access program before its potential regulatory approval. Eligible patients are adults who have received the enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) alglucosidase alfa — the…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has extended by three months its review of Sanofi Genzyme‘s application seeking approval of avalglucosidase alfa, its next-generation enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) for Pompe disease. The date for an agency decision regarding approval, previously set for May 18, is now Aug. 18. “Sanofi…

Administration of 3,4-diaminopyridine phosphate (3,4-DAPP) eased problems at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) — sites of nerve-muscle communication — in a zebrafish model of Pompe disease. Results suggest that the medication, also known as amifampridine and approved under the brand names …

Maze Therapeutics announced its first three lead therapeutic candidates, including an investigational oral medication designed to treat Pompe disease. Pompe disease is caused by genetic mutations that make the body unable to break down glycogen, a complex sugar molecule. As a result, glycogen builds to toxic levels in…

Miglustat — a component of AT-GAA, an investigational therapy for late-onset Pompe disease (PD) — enhances the activity of the other component in AT-GAA, cipaglucosidase alfa, researchers report. These findings were presented at the 2021 MDA Virtual Clinical & Scientific Conference, in the poster “Enhancing Delivery…

In the first years of treatment, Myozyme (alglucosidase alfa) — marketed in the U.S. as Lumizyme — can effectively increase physical endurance, and improve lung function and muscle strength in adults with late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD), a real-world study found. Yet, despite this treatment, patients’ clinical outcomes, particularly lung…

Lumizyme (alglucosidase alfa) is an enzyme replacement infusion therapy by Sanofi Genzyme for people with Pompe disease. In the European Union, it is available under the brand name Myozyme. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about this treatment. How does Lumizyme work? Lumizyme works to replace…

Deferoxamine, a medication normally used to remove excess iron and aluminum from the body, can counteract the effects of a disease-causing genetic variant often found in people with late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD). These findings highlight the potential of drug repurposing for the development of new therapies for LOPD,…