One of the highest incidences is in the isolated populations of the Lake Maracaibo region of Venezuela, where HD affects up to 700 per 100,000 persons. Other areas of high localization have been found in Tasmania and specific regions of Scotland, Wales and Sweden. Increased prevalence in some cases occurs due to a local founder effect, a historical migration of carriers into an area of geographic isolation. Some of these carriers have been traced back hundreds of years using genealogical studies. Genetic haplotypes can also give clues for the geographic variations of prevalence. Iceland, on the contrary, has a rather low prevalence of 1 per 100,000, despite the fact that Icelanders as a people are descended of the early Germanic tribes of Scandinavia which also gave rise to the Swedes; all cases with the exception of one going back nearly two centuries having derived from the offspring of a couple living early in the 19th century. Finland, as well, has a low incidence of only 2.2 per 100,000 people.Until the discovery of a genetic test, statistics could only include clinical diagnosis based on physical symptoms and a family history of HD, excluding those who died of other causes before diagnosis. These cases can now be included in statistics; and, as the test becomes more widely available, estimates of the prevalence and incidence of the disorder are likely to increase.
Cenegermin, sold under the brand name Oxervate, also known as recombinant human nerve growth factor (rhNGF), is a recombinant form of human nerve growth factor (NGF). In July 2017, it was approved in the European Union as an eye drop formulation for the treatment of moderate or severe neurotrophic keratitis in adults.As a recombinant form of NGF, cenegermin is a peripherally selective agonist of the TrkA and LNGFR (p75NTR) which must be administered parenterally.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers it to be a first-in-class medication. History
It was developed by Anabasis Pharma, Dompé Farmaceutici, and Ospedale San Raffaele. Research
In addition to neurotrophic keratitis, cenegermin is also under development for the treatment of dry eyes, retinitis pigmentosa, and glaucoma. References
Further reading
Sheha H, Tighe S, Hashem O, Hayashida Y (October 2019). "Update On Cenegermin Eye Drops In The Treatment Of Neurotrophic Keratitis". Clin Ophthalmol. 13: 1973–1980. doi:10.2147/OPTH.S185184. PMC 6789413. PMID 31631965. External links
"Cenegermin". Drug Information Portal. U.S. National Library of Medicine.