DIVISION OF NEPHROLOGY
Physician’s Brief clinical and research highlights for our colleagues in nephrology Ye a r- E n d 2014
FDA Approves U-M-invented Drug for Gaucher Disease Cerdelga, a treatment for Gaucher disease Type 1, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Cerdelga was developed at the University of Michigan Medical School and is licensed to Genzyme Corp. Cerdelga represents the first class of chemical entities conceived and developed at U-M to achieve FDA approval. An oral medication, Cerdelga offers an alternative to intravenous enzyme replacement – the other approved treatment for Gaucher disease, a rare inherited disorder that affects many of the body’s organs and tissues. The strategy of treating Gaucher disease by inhibition of glycolipid synthesis was proposed by the late Norman Radin, Ph.D., a U-M neurochemist, more than 40 years ago. The work directly leading to Cerdelga began 25 years ago when James Shayman, M.D., a nephrologist trained in lipid biology and pharmacology, sat down with Radin and began
inventions were licensed to Genzyme, a Sanofi company, in 2000 for clinical development. “On a personal level, the success of this research program has been tremendously gratifying,” Shayman said. “The FDA approval of Cerdelga provides further motivation for me and my collaborators to bring other drugs through the pipeline.”
James Shayman, M.D.
their collaboration. Their shared work continued at least until 1995 after which Radin retired, but research continued by the Shayman group to design, synthesize and test glycolipid synthesis inhibitors. That included a series of “proof of concept studies” in experimental models of lysosomal storage diseases. Patents covering these compounds and related
The safety and effectiveness of Cerdelga were evaluated in two clinical trials with 199 participants with Type 1 Gaucher disease. “The approval by the FDA is an important milestone for Genzyme, our inventors and the university,” said Ken Nisbet, associate vice president for research, U-M Tech Transfer. “Cerdelga promises to be a landmark therapy for patients afflicted with Gaucher disease, and we congratulate all who helped bring this innovation to market.”