News

The first patient has been dosed in Stoke Therapeutics‘ Phase 1/2a MONARCH trial, which is investigating the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of STK-001 as a treatment for children and adolescents with Dravet syndrome. Enrollment in the trial is ongoing. People with Dravet, a severe type of epilepsy,…

Raremark, an online rare disease patient community, has launched a digital platform called Xperiome, aimed at streamlining the search for new medicines for rare disorders and incorporating more patient input into research. The goal is to help the pharmaceutical industry deliver innovative new therapies faster and smarter, the…

The Epilepsy Foundation’s Community Day, being held virtually this year, will offer patients, caregivers, and advocates the latest information about epilepsy and an opportunity to connect with others. “Innovation and Action to End Epilepsy,” a free national conference on Aug. 29, will focus on advocacy and a variety…

The EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases has launched a scholarship fund in the U.S. to support individuals with rare disorders who are pursuing personal goals through training and education. The initial phase of the five-year, $1-million #RAREis Scholarship Fund will include 32 scholarships — each totaling $5,000 —…

Activating the SCN1A gene, which is deficient in most patients with Dravet syndrome, reduced febrile seizures and improved behaviors in a mouse model, according to a recent study.  The findings support a potential new approach to treat the cause of epilepsy…

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the postponement of a rare disease film festival originally slated for May, its organizers set out to find a new way to bring the films to an audience.  Co-founders Daniel DeFabio and Bo Bigelow, who are both fathers of children with…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has expanded the age range for all Epidiolex (cannabidiol) indications to include patients ages 1 and older, according to its developer, GW Pharmaceuticals (GW). The therapy previously had been approved in the U.S. and in Europe for the treatment of seizures associated…

Encoded Therapeutics has raised $135 million to support the first human clinical trials for ETX101, its gene therapy for SCN1A-positive Dravet syndrome patients. The funding also will be used for a natural history study to better understand the progression of the disease in people carrying SCN1A mutations, which are…

Use of cannabidiol-based Epidiolex with two anti-epileptic treatments do not appear to raise major safety concerns, with a small rise in blood concentrations of Diacomit (stiripentol) and no changes of clinical importance with Depacon (sodium valproate) seen overall in…

The recent approval of Fintepla (fenfluramine) was a long time coming for its developer, Zogenix, and an event that CEO Stephen Farr, PhD, describes as a “very proud moment for us.” After a few bumps along the way, on June 25, the U.S. Food and…