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Fabry disease (FD) is a lysosomal storage disorder (LSD) characterized by the deficiency of α-galactosidase A (α-GalA) and the consequent accumulation of toxic metabolites such as globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) and globotriaosylsphingosine (lysoGb3). Early diagnosis and appropriate timely treatment of FD patients are crucial to prevent tissue damage and organ failure which no treatment can reverse. LSDs might profit from four main therapeutic strategies, but hitherto there is no cure. Among the therapeutic possibilities are intravenous administered enzyme replacement therapy (ERT), oral pharmacological chaperone therapy (PCT) or enzyme stabilizers, substrate reduction therapy (SRT) and the more recent gene/RNA therapy. Unfortunately, FD patients can only benefit from ERT and, since 2016, PCT, both always combined with supportive adjunctive and preventive therapies to clinically manage FD-related chronic renal, cardiac and neurological complications. Gene therapy for FD is currently studied and further strategies such as substrate reduction therapy (SRT) and novel PCTs are under investigation. In this review, we discuss the molecular basis of FD, the pathophysiology and diagnostic procedures, together with the current treatments and potential therapeutic avenues that FD patients could benefit from in the future.

GM1 gangliosidosis (GM1) is a rare but fatal neurodegenerative disease caused by dysfunction or lack of production of lysosomal enzyme, β-galactosidase, leading to accumulation of substrates. The most promising treatments for GM1, include enzyme replacement therapy (ERT), substrate reduction therapy (SRT), stem cell therapy and gene editing. However, effectiveness is limited for neuropathic GM1 due to the restrictive nature of the blood–brain barrier (BBB). ERT and SRT alleviate substrate accumulation through exogenous supplementation over the patient’s lifetime, while gene editing could be curative, fixing the causative gene, GLB1 , to enable endogenous enzyme activity. Stem cell therapy can be a combination of both, with ex vivo gene editing of cells to cause the production of enzymes. These approaches require special considerations for brain delivery, which has led to novel formulations. A few therapeutic interventions have progressed to early-phase clinical trials, presenting a bright outlook for improved clinical management for GM1.

Ambroxol hydrochloride (ABX), an oral mucolytic drug available over the counter for many years, acts as a pharmacological chaperone for mutant glucocerebrosidase, albeit at higher doses. Proof-of-concept reports have been published over the past decade on all three types of Gaucher disease (GD). Here, we assess the safety and efficacy of 12 months of 600 mg ambroxol per day in three groups of Type 1 GD patients with a suboptimal response to enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) or substrate reduction therapy (SRT), defined as platelet count < 100 × 103/L, lumbar spine bone density T-score < −2.0, and/or LysoGb1 > 200 ng/mL, and for a group of naïve patients who had abnormal values in two of these three parameters. We enrolled 40 patients: 28 ERT- or SRT-treated, and 12 naïve. There were no severe adverse effects (AEs). There were 24 dropouts, mostly due to AEs (n = 12), all transient, and COVID-19 (n = 7). Among the 16 completers, 5 (31.2%) had a >20% increase in platelet count, 6 (37.5%) had a >0.2 increase in T-score, and 3 (18.7%) had a >20% decrease in Lyso-Gb1. This study expands the number of patients exposed to high-dose ABX, showing good safety and satisfactory efficacy, and provides an additional rationale for adding off-label ABX to the arsenal of therapies that could be offered to patients with GD1 and a suboptimal response or those unable to receive ERT or SRT.

Background The Gaucher Investigative Therapy Evaluation is a national clinical cohort of 250 patients aged 5–87 years with Gaucher disease in the United Kingdom—an ultra-rare genetic disorder. To inform clinical decision-making and improve pathophysiological understanding, we characterized the course of Gaucher disease and explored the influence of costly innovative medication and other interventions. Retrospective and prospective clinical, laboratory and radiological information including molecular analysis of the GBA 1 gene and comprising > 2500 variables were collected systematically into a relational database with banking of collated biological samples in a central bioresource. Data for deep phenotyping and life-quality evaluation, including skeletal, visceral, haematological and neurological manifestations were recorded for a median of 17.3 years; the skeletal and neurological manifestations are the main focus of this study. Results At baseline, 223 of the 250 patients were classified as type 1 Gaucher disease. Skeletal manifestations occurred in most patients in the cohort (131 of 201 specifically reported bone pain). Symptomatic osteonecrosis and fragility fractures occurred respectively in 76 and 37 of all 250 patients and the first osseous events occurred significantly earlier in those with neuronopathic disease. Intensive phenotyping in a subgroup of 40 patients originally considered to have only systemic features, revealed neurological involvement in 18: two had Parkinson disease and 16 had clinical signs compatible with neuronopathic Gaucher disease—indicating a greater than expected prevalence of neurological features. Analysis of longitudinal real-world data enabled Gaucher disease to be stratified with respect to advanced therapies and splenectomy. Splenectomy was associated with an increased hazard of fragility fractures, in addition to osteonecrosis and orthopaedic surgery; there were marked gender differences in fracture risk over time since splenectomy. Skeletal disease was a heavy burden of illness, especially where access to specific therapy was delayed and in patients requiring orthopaedic surgery. Conclusion Gaucher disease has been explored using real-world data obtained in an era of therapeutic transformation. Introduction of advanced therapies and repeated longitudinal measures enabled this heterogeneous condition to be stratified into obvious clinical endotypes. The study reveals diverse and changing phenotypic manifestations with systemic, skeletal and neurological disease as inter-related sources of disability.

Fabry disease (FD) is a multisystemic X-linked disorder characterized by the accumulation of lysosomal globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) secondary to decreased activity of α-galactosidase in cells. Generally, males are more severely affected due to the X-linked inheritance pattern of the disease. However, females are asymptomatic or have a less severe pattern of disease. Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) is the cornerstone of the treatment of FD. At present, there are two forms of ERT that can be applied to FD patients. Novel therapeutic approaches including chaperone therapy, substrate reduction therapy, and gene therapy have been introduced in the era of treatment of FD. In this review, we aimed to discuss the prevalence, clinical and genetic features, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and therapeutic options in FD patients with nephropathy.

Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) of the Anderson–Fabry disease (AFD) has changed the outcome of patients. However, ERT has some limitations: a restricted volume of distribution, requirement for intravenous access, and stimulation of the production of anti-drug antibodies. Studies of new drugs aiming to improve the clinical effectiveness and convenience of therapy have been reported. Migalastat, a pharmacological chaperone, increases available enzymate activity in patients with mutations amenable to the therapy, is now available for clinical practice. It is orally administered, and while clinical trial results are promising, long term real world follow up is awaited. PEGylated enzyme has a longer half-life and potentially reduced antigenicity, compared with standard preparations; investigation of whether a longer dosing interval is viable is under way. Moss-derived enzyme has a higher affinity for mannose receptors, and appears to have access to renal tissue. Substrate reduction therapy is based on reducing the catabolism processes of the glycosphingolipids, and is currently under investigation as monotherapy. Gene therapy has now been initiated in clinical trail of in vivo and ex vivo technologies with early results are emerging. ERT represents a certain milestone of therapy for AFD with Migalastat now a newly available option. Other agents in clinical trial prevent further potential opportunities to improve outcomes in AFD

Gaucher disease (GD) is a rare autosomal recessive lysosomal disorder caused by glucocerebrosidase deficiency, with a prevalence in France of around 1/130,000 people. The clinical picture of GD is very heterogeneous, ranging from lifelong asymptomatic forms to severe forms with onset during childhood, such as GD type 2 (< 1% of cases). GD type 1, the most common form (95% of cases), manifests with varying degrees of organomegaly, cytopenia and bone manifestations. Progressive encephalopathy of varying severity is also observed in GD type 3. Symptoms may result in acute and/or chronic pain and asthenia, and lead to disability. The aim of the French National Diagnosis and Care Protocol (Protocole National de Diagnostic et de Soins; PNDS) is to provide health care professionals with guidance for the optimal management and care of patients with GD. GD diagnosis is usually based on laboratory analyses revealing low or absent glucocerebrosidase activity, and can be confirmed by identification of glucocerebrosidase ( GBA1 ) gene pathogenic variants. Additional assessments should include biological analyses (hemogram test, serum protein electrophoresis, and measurement of GD biomarkers), imaging examinations (X-rays, abdominal and bone magnetic resonance imaging, bone densitometry, echocardiography), and electrocardiogram. Patient management in France is multidisciplinary and should be coordinated by a GD specialist, in conjunction with the Committee for the Evaluation and Treatment of Gaucher Disease, the Reference Center for Lysosomal Diseases or a reference/competence center for inherited metabolic diseases. The indication for treatment is not systematic and is based on the presence of clinical, biological, and imaging criteria. Current treatments such as intravenous enzyme replacement therapy or oral substrate reduction therapy, generally lead to significant improvements in disease characteristics within one to five years and early initiation can prevent complications. Follow-up should include a clinical examination, biological analyses to monitor disease biomarkers twice a year then yearly for stable patients, and imaging evaluations initially every year and then every 3 to 4 years for patients with stable disease in whom therapeutic objectives have been achieved. Intercurrent pathologies can be managed by the attending physician in collaboration with a GD specialist.

Glucosylsphingosine (lyso-Gb1), the deacylated form of glucocerebroside, was shown to be the most specific and sensitive biomarker for diagnosing Gaucher disease (GD). The aim of this study is to assess the contribution of lyso-Gb1 at the time of diagnosis for treatment decisions in naïve patients with GD. Newly diagnosed patients from July 2014 to November 2022 were included in this retrospective cohort study. The diagnosis was done by sending a dry blood spot (DBS) sample for GBA1 molecular sequencing and lyso-Gb1 quantification. Treatment decisions were based on symptoms, signs, and routine laboratory tests. We diagnosed 97 patients (41 males), both type 1 (n = 87), and neuronopathic (n = 10). The median (range) age at diagnosis was 22 (1–78), with 36 children. In 65 patients, GD-specific therapy was started with a median (range) lyso-Gb1, 337 (60–1340) ng/mL, significantly higher than in patients who did not go on to treatment, 153.5 (9–442) ng/mL. Using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, a cutoff of lyso-Gb1 > 250 ng/mL was associated with treatment with a sensitivity of 71% and specificity of 87.5%. Predictors of treatment were thrombocytopenia, anemia, and elevated lyso-Gb1 (>250 ng/mL). In conclusion, lyso-Gb1 levels contribute to the medical decision related to the initiation of treatment, mainly among mildly affected newly diagnosed patients. For patients with a severe phenotype, as for all patients, the main value of lyso-Gb1 would be to monitor response to therapy. The variable methodology and differences in the units of lyso-Gb1 measurements between laboratories prevent the adaptation of the exact cut-off we found in general practice. However, the concept is that a significant elevation, i.e., a several-fold increase from the diagnostic lyso-Gb1 cutoff, is related to a more severe phenotype and, accordingly, to the decision regarding the initiation of GD-specific therapy.

Background Eliglustat is a first-line oral treatment for adults with Gaucher disease type 1 who have an extensive, intermediate or poor CYP2D6 metabolizer phenotype (> 90% of patients). Whereas enzyme replacement therapy for Gaucher disease has been widely used for more than two decades, eliglustat has only been in commercial use since 2014. Clinicians and patients want to better understand which adverse events are most commonly associated with eliglustat, as well as their severity, frequency, and duration. Methods This pooled analysis of treatment-emergent adverse events combines data from four completed eliglustat clinical trials involving 393 Gaucher disease type 1 patients. It represents 1400 patient-years of eliglustat exposure and a mean treatment duration of 3.6 years (maximum: 9.3 years). Results Eighty-one percent of patients remained in their respective trial until commercial availability of eliglustat (US patients only) or until trial completion. Nine patients (2.3%) withdrew from their respective trial due to one or more adverse events reported as eliglustat treatment-related; all but one of these events were mild or moderate. Overall, 97% of adverse events were mild or moderate and 86% were reported by the investigator as unrelated to eliglustat treatment. The overall rate of adverse events decreased over time and did not increase with increasing eliglustat dose. We evaluated frequency, duration, and severity of 14 adverse event terms reported at least once as treatment-related in 2% or more of all patients: dyspepsia (5.9%), headache (5.3%), abdominal pain upper (5.1%), dizziness (5.1%), diarrhea (4.6%), nausea (4.6%), arthralgia (3.6%), constipation (3.3%), abdominal pain (2.8%), gastroesophageal reflux disease (2.8%), fatigue (2.8%), palpitations (2.8%), abdominal distension (2.5%), and gastritis (2.3%). For abdominal pain upper, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, and headache events, median duration was less than 14 days. All 14 adverse event terms, except for arthralgia and headache, were reported only once per patient in more than 70% of patients experiencing the event. Conclusions This final pooled analysis of treatment-emergent adverse events reinforces the favorable safety profile of eliglustat. The majority of the most frequently reported treatment-related adverse events were mild or moderate, transient, and occurred only once per patient.

Background: Fabry disease (FD) is an X-linked genetic condition caused by variants in the GLA gene, leading to a deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme α-galactosidase A (α-Gal A) and the accumulation of complex glycosphingolipids such as globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) and globotriaosylsphingosine (Lyso-Gb3). The systemic disorder primarily affects the cardiovascular, renal, and nervous systems, resulting in decreased life expectancy. The timing of treatment initiation and optimal dosing play crucial roles in improving outcomes and quality of life in Fabry patients. Available FD treatments include enzyme replacement therapy with agalsidase alfa, aglasidase beta, and pegunigalsidase alfa, as well as oral chaperone therapy with migalastat, which can all stabilize or reduce the disease burden. Summary: This review focuses exclusively on newly available drugs and future therapeutic approaches for treating FD, including migalastat, pegunigalsidase alfa, substrate reduction therapy (SRT), and gene therapy. Migalastat provides benefits such as oral administration and non-immunogenicity; however, it is only appropriate for patients with “amenable” GLA variants. The recently approved pegunigalsidase alfa is a pegylated form of α-Gal A manufactured in plant cell cultures, with apparent reduced immune response and prolonged circulating half-life. SRT (venglustat, lucerastat) reduces Gb3 synthesis, helping to normalize metabolic processes while offering certain advantages such as oral administration, non-immunogenic properties, and the possible crossing of the blood-brain barrier. Clinical trials in human and animal model studies are currently investigating ex vivo and in vivo gene therapy techniques, showing positive early outcomes. Key Messages: The ongoing development of novel treatments for FD suggests that patients will soon have access to a wider array of therapies, enabling more individualized care approaches. Although a definitive FD cure has not been achieved and the expense of combining therapies remains challenging, new therapeutic options such as gene and mRNA-based treatments show promise, though more research is needed.