News

Abeona Therapeutics has begun its Phase 3 VIITAL trial evaluating EB-101, a gene-corrected cell therapy for the treatment of recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB), the company recently announced. An institutional review board at Stanford University approved the start of the pivotal…

Castle Creek Pharmaceutical recently acquired Fibrocell Science and is now leading the development of treatments for epidermolysis bullosa (EB), including the investigational gene therapy FCX-007 for the treatment of recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB). The companies had previously established a partnership to develop FCX-007. “Our organizations have a shared…

The Epidermolysis Bullosa iPS Cell Consortium has received $1.6 million in funding to develop stem cell-based therapies for people with inherited skin diseases such as epidermolysis bullosa (EB). A grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) 21st Century Cures Act provided $800,000, which was quickly matched by…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug status to APR-TD011, a spray therapy candidate for the treatment of epidermolysis bullosa (EB). This designation is intended to encourage the development of therapies for rare and serious diseases, which are expected to outperform existing alternatives. Among its…

After its recent clinical hold by regulators, the Phase 3 VIITAL trial has been given the green light to investigate EB-101, a gene-corrected cell therapy for people with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB). Abeona Therapeutics, the company developing EB-101, plans to start VIITAL in early 2020. RDEB…

With so much recent publicity surrounding gene therapy, it’s no surprise that the topic was a major focus of the recent 2019 NORD Rare Diseases & Orphan Products Breakthrough Summit. From diagnosis and clinical trial design to manufacturing, pricing strategies, and ethical concerns, gene therapy — both its high…

Despite skyrocketing healthcare costs, President Trump is committed to protecting the 30 million or so Americans with rare diseases and ensuring timely, affordable access to lifesaving treatments, the nation’s highest-ranking health official said. “We have to think about how our financing system can protect those with serious and rare illnesses.

Scientists have discovered a new mutation in the COL7A1 gene — which provides instructions for making a type of collagen protein — in a Chinese family with pretibial dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DEB), a study revealed. The study, “A novel mutation of COL7A1 in a Chinese DEB‐Pt family…

Taking multiple precautions can ensure that pregnancy, delivery, and the postpartum period are uncomplicated in women with epidermolysis bullosa (EB) simplex, a case study reports. The research, “Management of epidermolysis bullosa simplex in pregnancy: A case report,” was published in the journal Case Reports in Women’s Health.

Rare disease-themed videos glowed on a large screen before an audience of people in wheelchairs, with crutches, and bearing oxygen tanks this Nov. 9 and 10 in San Francisco. Disorder: The Rare Disease Film Festival strives to eventually host a film about every one of the nearly 7,000 rare…

InMed Pharmaceuticals has requested approval to start a Phase 1 trial in the Netherlands to test the cannabinoid-based treatment candidate INM-755 for epidermolysis bullosa (EB). Pending approval, the company plans to enroll patients until the end of the year. INM-755 is a topical cream being developed to…

Topical treatment with B-VEC, formerly known as KB103, is safe and leads to complete and durable wound healing in people with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB), final results from a small Phase 1/2 trial suggest. RDEB is caused by mutations in the COL7A1 gene. This leads to…