Canada has a lot to celebrate for their current and future patients living with the “Childhood Alzheimer’s” or Niemann-Pick Type C (NPC). During the last full week of March 2010, the announcement came down that Health Canada [The Food Directorate, the Therapeutic Products Directorate and the Natural Health Products Directorate in the Health Products and Food Branch (HPFB)] approved the official use of Zavesca (Miglustat). Before now the only approved use was for Gaucher’s Disease Type 1. Continue Reading

On March 9, 2010 the FDA has requested additional preclinical and clinical information regarding Zavesca (Miglustat) before giving the ultimate approval that the Niemann-Pick Type C community was hoping for. Actelion stated that they will work diligently with the FDA to explore the best ways to address the points raised by the agency.

Jean-Paul Clozel, M.D. and Chief Executive Officer of Actelion commented: “We remain committed to bringing an approved treatment to patients suffering from NP-C disease and in this spirit we will continue the dialogue with the FDA.” Continue Reading

We’re a few weeks behind in updating this information but some big steps have happened recently regarding the potential FDA approval for Zavesca. The US Advisory panel on Jan. 12th recommended approval!

This snippet is from the article on Reuters regarding the breaking news:

Doctors can prescribe Zavesca now for NP-C, but Actelion needs FDA clearance to market the drug specifically for that use. Patient advocates also said insurers are reluctant to pay for the drug for NP-C patients without the approval. The drug costs $159,000 a year per patient. Continue Reading

This is an email from Nadine Hill of the NNPDF. This is good news. If the FDA does say lets move forward that means more families might be able to participate because the drug would be FDA approved. All though this isn’t a cure it is one of hopefully several more therapies to come to fight this horrible disease.

Hello NNPDF Families and Friends,

NOTE: Deadline of Monday, December 28th, 2009

We have received word of an important and historic FDA related drug advisory
committee meeting which is to be held in Maryland on January 12th, 2010 ,
which will review Zavesca as a possible treatment and therapy for
Niemann-Pick Disease Type C. An advisory committee panel of medical and
clinical experts will gather together to review information and learn the
data particulars as it relates to the use of Zavesca in NPC patients. Continue Reading