HAE News
Berotralstat approved for use in Scotland
HAE UK welcomes the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) decision to accept Berotralstat (Orladeyo®) for use, within its licensed indication, for the routine prevention of recurrent attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE) in adults and adolescent patients aged 12 years and older in Scotland.
The SMC decision of 7th March 2022, builds on similar National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance issued on 20th October 2021 https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta738/chapter/1-Recommendations
Orladeyo is the first oral once-daily capsule to be licensed for the routine prevention of HAE attacks https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/12883/smpc#gref
Acceptance of Orladeyo for NHS funding in Scotland means that patients with HAE who are suffering two or more attacks per month can now have access to the first, licensed oral prophylactic agent as a first line treatment option in all four nations of the UK.
UK Plasma Fractionation
Very good news we have been lobbying for! The ban on fractionation of UK plasma (fractionation is used to produce products such as immunoglobulins and C1-INH) has been lifted, this will put about 250,000 litres of plasma into use that would otherwise have been destroyed.
Biomarin gene therapy for Hereditary Angioedema
Click here to read news from Biomarin, a company involved in developing gene therapy for Hereditary Angioedema
Joint statement from HAE UK, UKPIN, HAE Clinical Network and the NHSE Immunology CRG Chair
24th March 2020
Some patients with HAE have received a communication from the NHS stating that they are at risk of severe illness if they catch COVID-19. This would not be related to their HAE itself but to any additional risk factors such as age, chronic heart disease, chronic lung disease, asthma etc. Patients with HAE are not thought to have any increased risk of harm from COVID-19 compared to the general population. HAE patients should take the same precautions as recommended by the government for the general public https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
If you need further information, please contact: laura.szutowicz@haeuk.org
Coronavirus Covid-19 information.
From the HAE CLINICAL NETWORK
- There is no evidence to suggest that people with HAE (whether on prophylaxis or not) are likely to have a higher risk of severe Covid-19 disease, unless they have any other risk factors or pre-existing disease (hypertension, diabetes, elderly, cardiac/respiratory disease). Swellings may be more frequent during infection, but will return to baseline after the infection is over.
- It would be appropriate to follow current government guidance re washing hands, avoiding unwell people etc – and to keep an eye on this as it is constantly changing. We do not suggest anything extra for HAE patients at present.
- Looking at the data, children actually have mild/milder disease and are a lot less likely to get complications with Covid-19. Re HAE, we would not suggest anything different to what is currently being done with children without HAE. As regards taking children out of school, the UK government hasn’t cancelled schools yet – although a lot of other countries are – which is a matter of debate as to who has done the right thing. So whilst schools are open children should attend.
- Getting more HAE attacks with Covid -19. It is likely that there will be immunity following Covid-19 infection – so, people should be unlikely to get it twice (at least in the immediate future). So, although C1 inhibitor usage may go up during the time they are unwell, this would only be for a relatively short period of time and shouldn’t affect the overall C1 usage (although anxiety/stress around Covid-19 may). For the majority of people, Covid-19 will be a mild self-limiting illness – which is something that is worth reminding people about.
- Do not stockpile your medication! The companies are doing all they can to maintain supply and to ensure there is enough to go around.
I Am Number 17.
Royal London is the first centre in the world to be running a clinical trial of a new oral medication for people with HAE.
Royal London immunology department are enrolling patients for a trial of an oral drug for acute attacks of HAE. The hope is for this drug to control HAE attacks early enough to prevent a full blown swelling. If effective, this would be ideal for patients who are not keen on taking regular medications or using injections for acute treatment.
Male or female patients over 18 years of age, with HAE type 1 or 2 are eligible to be considered for recruitment unless their nearest immunology centre is also planning to run this trial. The medication is to be used as soon as the patient notices the beginning of an HAE attack.
Any patients with 2 or more attacks in 93 days are eligible for this trial. If you are on a prophylactic (preventative) medication (e.g. Danazole, Oxandrolone or Tranexamic acid, regular C1 esterase Inhibitor), you will be asked to stop this before the trial and restart after the trial is completed. The length of time needed for stopping prophylactic medication is varied for different medications.
You would have 4 visits to the clinical research facilities at the Royal London Hospital for the purposes of this trial. There will be a fee of £200 per visit for your time in addition to travel and accommodation if required.
If you are interested to know more, please contact Dr Sorena Kiani on BHNT.Advice-Immunology-Barts@nhs.net.
HAE Dissertation
One of our members, Philippa Adams, completed a University dissertation on HAE, titled ‘The Lived Experience of Women Who Have Hereditary Angioedema’
You can read her dissertation here.
HAE UK newsletters
HAE International newsletters
HAE in the media
29th February 2016 was Rare Disease Day. Click here to see the Rare Disease Day supplement from the Independent newspaper
Daily Mail online news article, May 2014 (Isabel Richards)
Tameside Reporter newspaper article, May 2013 (Jen Harrison)
Dublin People newspaper article, May 2013 (Bettina Carty)
Article from the Nursing Standard, May 2013
South Wales Argus website article, April 2013 (Andy Long)
28th February was Rare Disease Day 2013. To see the Rare Disease Day supplement from the Independent newspaper, see here.
BBC news website article, May 2012 (Rachel Annals)
Real People magazine article, July 2012 (Kathryn Lowe)
News from the Pharmaceutical Companies
19th February 2015
OPuS-2 Clinical trial research study
OPuS-2 Clinical trial research study additional centres
OPuS-2 Clinical trial research study additional centres July 2015
12th March 2012
Press Release about Firazyr
Events
The next HAE UK Patient Day is to be held in November 2020. More details about this popular event will be available on the events page.
HAE Day is on 16th May each year. Visit the HAE Awareness Day website to find out more and to see how you can help spread awareness of HAE.
The HAE Global Conference is held every two years. The next conference is to be held in Frankfurt in May 2020. Find out more by visiting the HAEi website