Margarida Maia, PhD, science writer —

PTC Therapeutics plans to seek the U.S. approval this month of Upstaza (eladocagene exuparvovec), its one-time gene therapy that’s meant to address the root cause of aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency, the company announced. The company met with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)…

Measuring the levels of 3-O-methyldopa (3-OMD), a molecule that builds up in aromatic l-amino-acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency, can diagnose the disease in newborns, allowing it to be treated early in life, according to a German study. The study, “Newborn screening for aromatic l-amino acid decarboxylase deficiency – Strategies,…

Skip Therapeutics is teaming up with the Sheba Medical Center in Israel to develop antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), a type of therapy that can change a given gene’s activity, for rare diseases with a genetic basis. ASOs can be tailored to address specific genetic mutations, offering a bespoke treatment…

Exome sequencing, a method to decode DNA, may be useful for screening for mutations — including ones in the DDC gene — that cause aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency, a study from Italy suggests. The method may help to identify such mutations in children who have symptoms of…

In a new collaboration, Novo Nordisk plans to explore Life Edit Therapeutics’ innovative gene-editing technology for the treatment of rare genetic diseases, such as aromatic l-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency. The therapeutic targets have yet to be disclosed, but the partnership provides for the development of as…

The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) is seeking to address health disparities in the rare disease community in the U.S. with the launch of new “Latino/a/x & Hispanohablantes Community Listening Sessions” — events for patients and caregivers who are, as the name says, Latino and Spanish-speaking individuals. Listening…

The misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis of AADC deficiency is common and can prevent patients from getting timely access to the treatment they need, most often resulting in poor outcomes. That’s according to a report of 16 patients in the Middle East, one of whom was found to carry a…

The 10th annual Rare Disease Genomics Symposium, hosted by the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), will showcase the latest research into rare genetic diseases and focus on next-generation genetic testing and patient empowerment, the university announced. The free in-person and virtual symposium, set for Friday, brings together…

A diagnosis of AADC deficiency is often delayed, leading to poor clinical outcomes, as reported for three children in Saudi Arabia, one of whom carried a previously unidentified disease-causing DDC gene mutation. “There is an urgent need to raise awareness and improve diagnostic testing for rare diseases such as AADC deficiency…

Genomenon, an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven genomics company, is teaming up with three disease research foundations to develop comprehensive genomic data on rare genetic neurodevelopmental disorders such as aromatic l-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency. The goal is to advance precision medicine — a form of medicine that uses information…