Author Archives: Marisa Wexler MS

Bluebird Bio is set to resume trials of LentiGlobin, its investigational gene therapy for sickle cell disease, after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lifted its clinical hold. The company is now working closely with study investigators and clinical trial sites to resume normal activities as soon…

Eurordis opened a campaign, called Rare 2030 Action, that is seeking to establish a European action plan for rare diseases to ensure that none of the 30 million people in Europe living with rare diseases are left behind by the start of a new decade. As part of…

A spoken word poetry contest is welcoming submissions from people with sickle cell disease (SCD) and their caregivers. The contest, “Lift Every Voice to Shine the Light on Sickle Cell,” is being jointly launched by Global Blood Therapeutics (GBT) and the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America…

LentiGlobin, Bluebird Bio’s investigational gene therapy for sickle cell disease (SCD), is unlikely to be the cause of a blood cancer that arose in one of the patients who received the therapy in an early clinical trial, according to new analyses. In February, Bluebird paused two clinical…

Red blood cells in people with sickle cell disease (SCD) flow through blood vessels in a manner that damages the walls, which may explain blood vessel problems and increased inflammation in SCD, new research indicates. The study, “Flow-induced segregation and dynamics of red blood cells in sickle cell…

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is reviewing an application from Global Blood Therapeutics (GBT) that seeks full marketing approval for the oral therapy Oxbryta (voxelotor) for people with sickle cell disease (SCD), ages 12 and up. Oxbryta would be the first treatment targeting the root cause of…

FT-4202, a potential disease-modifying oral treatment for sickle cell disease (SCD), is well-tolerated in people with SCD and induces improvements in several red blood cell parameters, early clinical trial data indicate. The results observed in this initial group of patients support the efficacy of Forma Therapeutics‘ investigational medication, as…

A team of researchers led by UNC Project-Malawi has been given a one-year, $500,000 grant to build clinical and research infrastructure that will improve diagnosis and treatment for children living with sickle cell disease (SCD) in Malawi. Malawi is a country located in sub-Saharan Africa. Each year…

The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)’s RareLaunch training program will host two days of free virtual workshops in December, with the aim of empowering leaders to start non-profit organizations and research programs to help people with rare diseases.  “The RareLaunch program is…

A majority of rare disease patients using telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic thought the experience positive, and many would like the option of continuing its use in future appointments, a series of surveys found. The surveys were conducted by the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) and involved more than 800…