Despite an increased risk of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in children with sickle cell anemia (SCA), preventive treatment (prophylaxis) rates remain low among these patients, a study shows. The research, “Antibiotic Prophylaxis for Children With Sickle Cell Anemia,” was published in Pediatrics, the official journal of the…
Imara, a pharmaceutical company developing new therapies for sickle cell disease (SCD), has successfully dosed the first patient enrolled in its clinical trial evaluating escalating doses of IMR-687 in adult patients with SCD. The Phase 2 trial (NCT03401112) is currently recruiting participants and expects to enroll…
David Curtis Glebe, a retired 64-year-old public prosecutor now living in Millsboro, Delaware, knows he’s lucky to be alive. In mid-2013, while in Arizona, Glebe was diagnosed with pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer (PNET) — the same disease that killed Apple’s founder and CEO Steve Jobs. After three years of progress…
Hypersensitivity to allergens in children with sickle cell anemia may increase the risk of acute chest syndrome, a study suggests. The study “Aeroallergen sensitization predicts acute chest syndrome in children with sickle cell anaemia” was published in the British Journal of Haematology. Diagnosing asthma in children with sickle cell…
Two kinds of CRISPR gene editing therapies show promise as treatments for a number of blood diseases, including sickle cell anemia, Editas Medicine reports. Gene editing is one of a wave of new approaches to treating diseases. It involves using specialized proteins to make precise cuts and pastes of DNA to correct…
Researchers found that treatment with hydroxyurea at currently approved doses for sickle cell anemia leads to a significant drop in total sperm count in men. The study, “Adverse effect of hydroxyurea on spermatogenesis in patients with sickle cell anemia after six months of treatment,” was published in the…
Emmaus Life Sciences has reached an agreement with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that will allow coverage of Endari (L-glutamine oral powder) to reduce acute complications of sickle cell disease (SCD) in adults and children 5 years and older. “This treatment is considered very important by many…
This week marks the launch of the “7,000 Mile Rare Movement,” a nationwide effort to raise money for research into the 7,000 known rare diseases that afflict at least 30 million Americans. The campaign kicks off Feb. 1 and culminates with Rare Disease Day on Feb. 28. Organized by…
A man and woman who are both carriers of the sickle cell anemia mutation can have a healthy child by fertilizing eggs in a lab, then deciding which of multiple embryos that develop from the eggs will become the baby, a case study indicates. It also showed that umbilical cord…
England’s National Health Service (NHS) has selected 138 entrepreneurs to design and deliver new technological solutions for healthcare challenges – one of which was appointed to tackle conditions like sickle cell disease (SCD) using a voice-recognition mobile app. The support is part of the NHS Clinical Entrepreneurs…
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