Andrea Lobo, PhD, science writer —

Andrea Lobo holds a PhD in cell biology/neurosciences from the University of Coimbra-Portugal, where she studied stroke biology. As a research scientist for 19 years, Andrea participated in academic projects in multiple research fields, from stroke, gene regulation, cancer, and rare diseases. She has authored multiple research papers in peer-reviewed journals.

Articles by Andrea Lobo

SCD patients free of VOEs after treatment with gene-editing therapy

Nearly all the patients with severe sickle cell disease (SCD) who were treated with renizgamglogene autogedtemcel (reni-cel) remained free of vaso-occlusive events (VOEs) for up to two years, new data from the Phase 1/2/3 RUBY  clinical trial shows. The treatment also increased total hemoglobin levels and was well tolerated,…

Etavopivat may reduce VOC rate, increase hemoglobin in SCD

Etavopivat, Novo Nordisk’s investigational oral therapy for sickle cell disease (SCD), may reduce the incidence of vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs) and increase hemoglobin levels. That’s according to data from the phase 2 part of the Phase 2/3 HIBISCUS trial (NCT04624659), which is assessing the treatment’s safety and…

Study to compare SCD treatments for symptoms with a transplant

A hospital with the University of Rochester’s Medical Center has received a multi-million-dollar grant to conduct a study comparing the efficacy of some available treatments for sickle cell disease (SCD), helping families to make better-informed treatment decisions. Particularly, the study by scientists with Golisano Children’s Hospital will compare…

AB Science gets European patent covering masitinib for SCD

AB Science said it received a notice of allowance from the European Patent Office for a patent covering the use of the experimental oral therapy masitinib to treat sickle cell disease (SCD). The decision was based on preclinical data demonstrating that masitinib was able to prevent vaso-occlusive crises…

Eculizumab use may safely manage transfusion complication in SCD

The use of eculizumab, an immunosuppressive medication approved for several autoimmune diseases, was found to be safe and effective for treating hyperhemolysis syndrome or HHS — a serious complication of blood transfusions — in two pediatric patients with sickle cell disease (SCD), a study showed. HHS, which can be…

Emmaus complying with FDA postmarketing safety regulations

Emmaus Life Sciences, which markets Endari (L-glutamine) for sickle cell disease (SCD), has announced that it is complying with postmarketing safety regulations of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The announcement followed a 2.5-day routine inspection of Emmaus under the FDA’s Postmarketing Adverse Drug Experience…

Risk of SCD-related organ damage increases as teens become adults

The probability of developing organ and tissue damage — including in the lungs, kidneys, or eyes — increases as teenagers with sickle cell disease (SCD) transition from adolescence into adulthood, according to a study by researchers in France. Particularly, the study demonstrated that disease morbidity associated with chronic organ…