Rare Disease

FDA's approval of entrectinib for neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK) fusion-positive tumors represents a new paradigm in cancer treatment; It treats a cancer based on a common biomarker seen across different tumors rather than based on the location in the body where the cancer originated. The FDA also gave approval to entrectinib for the treatment of adults with metastatic non–small cell lung cancer whose tumors are ROS1 positive.

The study found that 24% of those who contacted a center specializing in rare kidney diseases would have gone undiagnosed if they had not reached out directly via the center's website.

Daiichi Sankyo has received approval for its treatment for the rare joint tumor.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has published a set of recommendations for the treatment of small bowel adenocarcinoma, representing the first treatment guidelines in the United States for the rare type of cancer.

A study of patients with polycythemia vera (PV) showed that the severity of individual symptoms was not affected by blood count control, with the exception of pruritus and night sweats.

President Trump is preparing an executive order that would slash prices on nearly all drugs sold to Medicare; Allergan has recalled certain breast implants following 573 cases of implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma; a study has found 1 in 4 people intend to use antibiotics without a prescription.

Spearheaded by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, the bipartisan bill would lower out-of-pocket (OOP) costs for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries and save the government billions.

The authors said their case highlights how t(15; 17) by itself is never sufficient to diagnose acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) without confirmation by other methods.

Patients who had end-stage renal disease secondary to amyloidosis had poorer survival rates compared with patients with kidney disease secondary to other causes.

Data from a phase 3 trial are supporting the use of tezacaftor in combination with ivacaftor for the treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF) in children aged 6 to 11 years, finding that the treatment combination was generally safe and well tolerated.

A study comparing the efficacy of burosumab with conventional treatment—oral phosphate and active vitamin D—found that burosumab, which blocks FGF23, was significantly more effective in alleviating symptoms.

A recent study examined the association between patients with secondary myelofibrosis (SMF) and later development of nonhematological second primary malignancies (SPM).

Coverage of our peer-reviewed research and news reporting in the healthcare and mainstream press.

The FDA approved a fourth indication for Alexion Pharmaceuticals’ brand-name eculizumab (Soliris) for the treatment of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) in adult patients who are anti-aquaporin-4 (AQP4) antibody positive.

Paul Melmeyer, director of Federal Policy, National Organization for Rare Disorders, discusses factors that have historically been underrepresented in value assessment frameworks for rare disease therapies.

Adding hydroxyurea to the selective inhibitor of Janus kinase 1 and 2 could elicit a high clinical response and increased ruxolitinib exposure for patients with hyperproliferative forms of myelofibrosis.

Researchers recently conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine whether leukocytosis is a risk factor for thrombosis in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms.