An investigational gene therapy called AT845 could effectively increase the activity of an enzyme that’s deficient in mouse and nonhuman primate models of Pompe disease, according to a study. The research also highlights potential complications that can occur when gene therapies designed for use in humans are tested in…
gene therapy
Gene therapy given with chaperones — specific molecules known to stabilize the structure of proteins — was found to enhance the availability of acid alpha-glucosidase, known as GAA, the missing or defective enzyme in Pompe disease (PD), in a mouse model. The treatment subsequently eased disease symptoms, with the…
A new enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) targeting specific cell types boosts the delivery of acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA) — the enzyme missing or defective in Pompe disease patients — to muscle and heart cells, a study shows. Compared to standard ERT, the targeted approach by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals normalized the…
The first patient has been dosed in the FORTISÂ Phase 1/2 trial of AT845, a single-dose gene therapy for adults with late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD). AT845 is designed to deliver a healthy copy of the gene that encodes the enzyme acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA) directly to…
A Phase 1/2 trial is recruiting adults in the U.S. who have late-onset Pompe disease to test a gene therapy, AT845, being developed by Audentes Therapeutics, according to an update from the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The company-sponsored FORTIS trial (NCT04174105) will be evaluating the safety…
Rare Disease Day at NIH, organized by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and taking place on March 1, will feature panel discussions, patient stories, research updates, TED-style talks, and a presentation by a Nobel laureate recently recognized for her work on a gene editing tool. The free, virtual…
Spark Therapeutics has dosed the first patient in the Phase 1/2 RESOLUTE clinical trial of SPK-3006, an experimental gene therapy for people with late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD). “Dosing the first participant in the Phase 1/2 RESOLUTE trial of investigational SPK-3006 for late-onset Pompe disease is an important milestone and…
The two COVID-19 vaccines that recently received emergency approval from the U.S. and other worldwide regulatory agencies are expected to pose little risk to the rare disease community, including to patients with compromised immune systems or those participating in gene therapy studies. That was the message of a recent…
A CRISPR gene-editing approach was used to correct two distinct Pompe disease mutations and to develop computer simulations for optimizing gene therapies. These computer models may help scientists develop and test gene-editing strategies for diseases, such as Pompe, that are polygenic, or caused by more…
AVR-RD-03, Avrobio‘s investigational gene therapy for classic infantile-onset Pompe disease, was found to reduce toxic glycogen accumulations to healthy levels in a mouse model of Pompe. These results, presented during an Avrobio Virtual R&D Day…