* Glybera recommended for lipoprotein lipase deficiency <\/p>\n
* First (OTC BB: FSTC.OB - news) gene therapy drug to reach market in West <\/p>\n
* Green light follows three previous rejections <\/p>\n
* Decision is victory for private Dutch biotech firm uniQure (Adds EMA comment, uniQure investors, more background on gene therapy) <\/p>\n
LONDON, July 20 (Reuters) - European regulators have recommended approval of the Western world's first gene therapy drug -- after rejecting it on three previous occasions -- in a significant advance for the novel medical technology. <\/p>\n
More than 20 years since the first experiments with the ground-breaking method for fixing faulty genes, scientists and drug companies are still struggling to apply gene therapy in practice. <\/p>\n
Friday's decision by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is a win for the drug's maker, the small Dutch biotech company uniQure, and a potential lifeline for patients with the ultra rare genetic disorder lipoprotein lipase deficiency (LPLD). <\/p>\n
It comes too late, however, for investors in the previous listed firm Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics (AMT (Taiwan OTC: 8271.TWO - news) ). <\/p>\n
After the earlier rebuffs for its Glybera medicine, AMT was taken private by newly created uniQure in April because it could no longer fund itself in the public markets. <\/p>\n
Patients with LPLD are unable to handle fat particles in their blood plasma and are afraid of eating a normal meal because it can lead to acute inflammation of the pancreas. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
See more here: <\/p>\n
UPDATE 1-European regulators back first gene therapy drug<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" * Glybera recommended for lipoprotein lipase deficiency * First (OTC BB: FSTC.OB - news) gene therapy drug to reach market in West * Green light follows three previous rejections * Decision is victory for private Dutch biotech firm uniQure (Adds EMA comment, uniQure investors, more background on gene therapy) LONDON, July 20 (Reuters) - European regulators have recommended approval of the Western world's first gene therapy drug -- after rejecting it on three previous occasions -- in a significant advance for the novel medical technology. More than 20 years since the first experiments with the ground-breaking method for fixing faulty genes, scientists and drug companies are still struggling to apply gene therapy in practice. Continue reading