WASHINGTON (AP) – The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new drug for patients with Gaucher disease, an enzyme disorder that can cause liver and neurological problems.
The injectable drug, velaglucerase alfa, is approved for adults and children with the rare genetic disorder, which affects less than one in 100,000 people in the U.S.
People with Gaucher disease lack a key enzyme, which leads to the dangerous buildup of fatty chemicals in the liver, spleen, bones and nervous system.
The drug from Ireland-based Shire PLC is an alternative to Cerezyme, a Gaucher disease drug from Genzyme Corp.
Last year, Cambridge, Mass.-based Genzyme temporarily shut down a key plant that manufactures Cerezyme after uncovering viral contamination.
Date: March 1, 2010
Source: Associated Press
Filed Under: Drug Discovery
