Patricia Inácio, PhD,  science writer—

A month after its U.S. approval, Lyfgenia (lovotibeglogene autotemcel), Bluebird Bio’s gene therapy for sickle cell disease (SCD), is readying to treat patients there. According to the company, 35 out of 48 qualified treatment centers across the U.S. started accepting patient referrals as of Jan. 5. Treatment…

Being hospitalized due to a vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) is associated with a significant reduction in quality of life for children with sickle cell disease (SCD), and has a special impact on their physical functioning, a study finds. The negative effects were particularly higher in the first months after…

Editas Medicine has expanded its partnership with Azzur Cleanrooms on Demand (COD) for the manufacturing of EDIT-301, its experimental cell-based gene-editing therapy for sickle cell disease (SCD) and transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia. If approved, the scaling up of EDIT-301 needs to follow current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) standards — set…

The European Commission has decided to revoke its conditional approval of Adakveo (crizanlizumab) for sickle cell disease (SCD) — meaning its developer, Novartis, will have to remove the antibody-based therapy from the market in all 27 countries that are part of the European Union. The decision came after…

The addition of briquilimab, Jasper Therapeutics’ investigational conditioning therapy, improved the success of a stem cell transplant in people with sickle cell disease (SCD), early data from the first three patients in a Phase 1/2 trial show. According to the company, two of the three patients, all treated…

Adding omega-3 or vitamin D supplements boosts the therapeutic effectiveness of standard of care therapy for sickle cell disease (SCD) children with vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs), a recent study shows. Omega-3 supplements reduced the number and severity of VOCs, while vitamin D lessened their severity only. Supplementation also reduced the…

People with sickle cell anemia are at a significantly higher risk of developing periodontitis, a serious gum disease, a study reported. In turn, periodontitis was associated with elevated levels of inflammation markers in patients and a three times greater chance of more than three painful vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs) each year.

Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) are at a high risk of developing severe symptoms after infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, one of the most recent variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, according to a new French study. In fact, more than 85% of children infected with…

A new cost-free program, called Sickle Cell Warrior program, designed to promote equitable care and provide information on clinical trials and financial assistance to sickle cell disease (SCD) patients has been launched by The National Marrow donor program (NMDP)/Be The Match. As part of this month’s SCD Awareness…

Lowering the risk of long-term complications, including organ damage and hemolytic anemia — driven by the destruction of red blood cells — are common goals for sickle cell disease (SCD) patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals, according to data from Global Blood Therapeutics’ international SHAPE survey. Survey results also…