Familial amyloid polyneuropathy
Familial amyloid polyneuropathy | |
---|---|
Other names | FAP |
Familial amyloid polyneuropathy has an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance. | |
Specialty | Neurology |
Familial amyloid polyneuropathy, also called transthyretin-related hereditary amyloidosis,
Presentation
Usually manifesting itself between 20 and 40 years of age, it is characterized by
Cause
FAP is caused by a mutation of the
FAP is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner.[2] This means that the defective gene responsible for the disorder is located on an autosome (chromosome 18 is an autosome), and only one copy of the defective gene is sufficient to cause the disorder, when inherited from a parent who has the disorder.[citation needed]
Diagnosis
Clinical suspicion for FAP is raised on the basis of a family history of neuropathy and physical exam showing signs of
Sudomotor function through electrochemical skin conductance may provide a measure of subclinical autonomic involvement.[9][10]
Treatments
The medication tafamidis has been approved for the treatment of transthyretin familial amyloid polyneuropathy in Europe.[11] Studies have found that it delays neurological problems when started early.[11][12] The US Food and Drug Administration's Peripheral and Central Nervous System Drugs Advisory Committee rejected the drug in June 2012, in a 13–4 vote.[13] The committee stated that there was not enough evidence supporting efficacy of the drug, and requested additional clinical trials.[14] In May 2019, the FDA approved two tafamidis preparations for the treatment of transthyretin-mediated cardiomyopathy, but has not approved it for the treatment of transthyretin familial amyloid polyneuropathy.[15]
In August 2018, the FDA approved
In August 2021 six patients with hereditary ATTR amyloidosis with polyneuropathy were given doses of NTLA-2001, based on a CRISPR gene editing system. Researchers reported mild adverse events and decreases in serum misfolded transthyretin protein concentrations through targeted knockout.[17]
Eplontersen (Wainua) was approved for medical use in the United States in December 2023.[18]
Prognosis
In the absence of a liver transplant, FAP is invariably fatal, usually within a decade. The disadvantage of liver transplantation is that approximately 10% of the subjects die from the procedure or complications resulting from the procedure, which is a form of gene therapy wherein the liver expressing wild-type and mutant TTR is replaced by a liver only expressing wild-type TTR. Moreover, transplanted patients must take immune suppressants (medications) for the remainder of their life, which can lead to additional complications.
In late 2011, the European Medicines Agency approved the transthyretin kinetic stabilizer Tafamidis or Vyndaqel discovered by Jeffery W. Kelly and developed by FoldRx pharmaceuticals (acquired by Pfizer in 2010) for the treatment of FAP based on clinical trial data. Tafamidis (20 mg once daily) slowed the progression of FAP over a 36-month period and importantly reversed the weight loss and muscle wasting associated with disease progression.[citation needed]
Epidemiology
This disease is endemic in Portuguese locations Póvoa de Varzim and Vila do Conde (Caxinas), with more than 1000 affected people, coming from about 500 families, where 70% of the people develop the illness. All the analysed Portuguese families presented the same haplotype (haplotype I) associated with the Met 30 mutation. In northern Sweden, more specifically Skellefteå (it is locally called Skelleftesjukan, the Skellefteå disease), 1.5% of the population has the mutated gene. There are many other populations in the world who exhibit the illness after having developed it independently.[citation needed]
The disease is somewhat prevalent in Cyprus. Mean age of onset was 46 years, and penetrance is estimated to be 28%, both of which differ from the Portuguese and Swedish populations. [19]
References
- ^ a b Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM): Amyloidosis, hereditary, transthyretin-related - 105210
- ^ PMID 18508604.
- PMID 12978172.
- PMID 22579241.
- ^ Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM): Transthyretin (TTR) - 176300
- ^ PMID 31907599.
- PMID 19618439.
- PMID 23239211.
- S2CID47011006
- S2CID73476147.
- ^ S2CID 4968350.
- S2CID 24612955.
- ^ "Vyndaqel (tafamidis meglumine) NDA 202737" (PDF). U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Drug Evaluation and Research Division of Neurology Products. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 April 2017.
- ^ Pihl-Carey K. "FDA Delivers CRL for Pfizer's Rare Disease Drug Vyndaqel". BioWorld. Clarivate Analytics. Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2012-12-03.
- ^ Commissioner, Office of the (2020-03-24). "FDA approves new treatments for heart disease caused by a serious rare disease, transthyretin mediated amyloidosis". FDA. Retrieved 2023-01-25.
- ^ "Rare-Disease Treatment From Alnylam to Cost $450,000 a Year". Bloomberg.com. 10 August 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
- S2CID 235722446.
- ^ "Eplontersen: FDA-Approved Drugs". U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Retrieved 21 December 2023.
- S2CID 205766147.