News

Since late November and embracing the holiday spirit, the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) has been sharing a series of previously exclusive videos from its 2021 Living Rare Living Stronger Patient and Family Forum, aiming to improve the lives of people with rare diseases and their families.

Catalyst Pharmaceuticals has announced its partner DyDo Pharma has launched a Phase 3 registrational trial in Japan to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of Firdapse (amifampridine) to treat Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS). A registrational trial is designed to obtain sufficient clinical data to support the filing…

The rare case of a man with advanced small cell lung cancer (SCLC) who went on to develop Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) after receiving treatment with Tecentriq (atezolizumab), an immune checkpoint inhibitor, was described in a recent study. Researchers say this case highlights the need for vigilance in…

The recent case of a man with Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) linked to a rare type of lung tumor, shows the condition can arise in patients with types other than small cell lung cancer. The case report, “Pulmonary Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma Associated With Lambert-Eaton Syndrome,”…

Catalyst Pharmaceuticals plans to file an application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requesting that the use of Firdapse (amifampridine), an approved oral therapy for adults with Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS), be expanded to children. The announcement came after the company received a favorable decision from…

A patient with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer and Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) saw a marked decrease in his lung tumors following treatment with a combination of an immune checkpoint inhibitor and chemotherapy — all while having no LEMS flare-ups. That finding from a recent case report, according to…

Firdapse (amifampridine) improved muscle strength and response to nerve cell stimulation in adults with Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS), a pooled analysis of six clinical trials demonstrated. The findings showed that all six previous trials together “showed significant efficacy, consistent with earlier reports of beneficial efficacy” of Firdapse —…

A federal appeals court has ruled that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should not have approved Ruzurgi (amifampridine) for the treatment of children with Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS). The decision by the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals is a win for Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, which…

Cholinesterase inhibitors may be useful in controlling the symptoms of Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) in people with relatively mild disease, as highlighted in a recent case report. The findings suggest that these medications may be particularly useful for managing LEMS in countries where Firdapse (amifampridine) — the…

Football and science seem to be disparate fields of play at first glance, but the nonprofit Uplifting Athletes is finding common ground by leveraging the popularity of college gridiron games to fund research for rare diseases. Its nearly two dozen chapters — representing college football teams across the nation…