News

Blood flow and oxygen extraction fraction — a measure of how well oxygen is used by tissues — in the brain was improved among children with sickle cell disease (SCD) who underwent a hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT), a small study showed. According to researchers, these findings may…

In a $5.4 billion deal, Pfizer fully acquired Global Blood Therapeutics (GBT), bolstering its decades-long standing in the field of rare blood disorders, particularly regarding sickle cell disease (SCD). With the newly completed acquisition — plans were announced in August — Pfizer gains GBT’s therapy portfolio and pipeline.

The Sickle Cell Disease Association of America (SCDAA), in collaboration with Forma Therapeutics, is launching a campaign to raise awareness and boost knowledge about sickle cell disease (SCD). The campaign, called “Believe it!”, will be promoted on television and radio channels, encouraging people to go through the website…

Through a collaboration with Emmaus Life Sciences, Kier “Junior” Spates — of the nationally syndicated radio program “The Steve Harvey Morning Show” — will share his experiences with sickle cell disease (SCD) and the Emmaus treatment Endari (L-glutamine). The radio show features host Harvey and a team that…

Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics are planning a November launch for a biologics license application (BLA) for their gene-editing therapy exagamglogene autotemcel — known as exa-cel — seeking its approval for the treatment of sickle cell disease (SCD) and transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)…

Long-term treatment with Ferriprox (deferiprone) safely and effectively reduced iron load in children and adults with blood transfusion-induced iron overload due to sickle cell disease (SCD) or other anemias. That is according to three years of data from a one-year Phase 4 clinical trial, called FIRST (NCT02041299), and its…

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…

Global Blood Therapeutics (GBT) supports the recently introduced Sickle Cell Disease Treatment Centers Act of 2022 (HR 8855/S 4866), which calls for $535 million in annual funding for sickle cell disease (SCD) treatment, research, and education. Introduced on Sept. 15, the legislation would create a national network of…

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…