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In a first, doctors treat fatal genetic disease before birth

Medical Xpress

A toddler is thriving after doctors in the U.S. and Canada used a novel technique to treat her before she was born for a rare genetic disease that caused the deaths of two of her sisters.

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Researchers reverse the in vitro and in vivo effects of the mutation that causes Stormorken syndrome

Medical Xpress

That was the case when Thilini Gamage was to carry out one of the studies in her doctoral work with Professor Eirik Frengen at the Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo. They study gene variation and mutations that cause rare genetic diseases. A mutation is a permanent change in the genetic material.

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In a first, a fatal enzyme deficiency is treated in the womb

STAT News

To protect this child from the same genetic disease that killed two older siblings, treating her as soon as she was born might only work so well, the doctors knew. So they dialed back the therapeutic clock, delivering the medication to her as a fetus. Now 16 months old, Ayla appears totally healthy.

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Personalising whole genome sequencing doubles diagnosis of rare diseases 

Drug Discovery World

In 2018, the UK’s department of health announced an NHS Genomic Medicine Service, which allows patients with rare diseases to have their entire genetic code read in the hope of providing a much-needed diagnosis. That said, some people with rare genetic diseases remain without a molecular diagnosis after their genome is analysed. . “We

Genome 52
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Vyjuvek Gets FDA Nod as First Topical Gene Therapy for Rare Skin Disease

XTalks

The regulatory nod “ushers in a whole new paradigm to treat genetic diseases” and is a major milestone for DEB patients and their families, Krystal Biotech CEO Krish Krishnan said in a statement from the company.

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Silence Tx uses game to raise thalassaemia awareness

pharmaphorum

Thalassaemia is a severe genetic disease that is characterised by significantly reduced production of functional beta-globin, a component of haemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in the blood. Severely-affected patients need regular blood transfusions to maintain their haemoglobin levels.

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Education and empowerment would provide more equal access to care

pharmaphorum

Ella, 28, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis – a rare genetic disease which causes a build-up of thick, sticky mucus in the lungs, digestive tract, and sinuses – at 18 months old. This sticky mucus gets trapped and breeds infections from bacteria I inhale,” says Ella, who adds she was “terrified” of doctors as a child.