South Pacific
A measles outbreak in New Zealand has 2193 confirmed cases and two deaths. A measles outbreak in Tonga has 612 cases of measles. Samoa
A measles outbreak in Samoa in late 2019 has over 5,700 cases of measles and 83 deaths, out of a Samoan population of 200,000. Over three percent of the population were infected, and a state of emergency was declared from 17 November to 7 December. A vaccination campaign brought the measles vaccination rate from 31 to 34% in 2018 to an estimated 94% of the eligible population in December 2019. Africa
The Democratic Republic of the Congo and Madagascar have reported the highest numbers of cases in 2019. However, cases have decreased in Madagascar as a result of nationwide emergency measles vaccine campaigns. As of August 2019 outbreaks were occurring in Angola, Cameroon, Chad, Nigeria, South Sudan and Sudan. Madagascar
An outbreak of measles in 2018 has resulted in 118,000 cases and 1,688 deaths. This followed outbreaks of bubonic and pneumonic plague in 2017 (2575 cases, 221 deaths) and 2014 (263 confirmed cases, 71 deaths). Democratic Republic of Congo
An outbreak of measles with nearly 5,000 deaths and 250,000 infections occurred in 2019, after the disease spread to all the provinces in the country. Most deaths were among children under five years of age. The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported this as the worlds largest and fastest-moving epidemic. History
Measles is of zoonotic origin, having evolved from rinderpest, which infects cattle.
Voretigene neparvovec, sold under the brand name Luxturna, is a gene therapy medication for the treatment of Leber congenital amaurosis. It was developed by Spark Therapeutics and Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. It is the first in vivo gene therapy approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Lebers congenital amaurosis, or biallelic RPE65-mediated inherited retinal disease, is an inherited disorder causing progressive blindness. Voretigene is the first treatment available for this condition. The gene therapy is not a cure for the condition, but substantially improves vision in those treated. It is given as a subretinal injection. Voretigene neparvovec was approved for medical use in Australia in August 2020 and in Canada, in October 2020. Medical uses
Voretigene neparvovec is indicated for the treatment of people with vision loss due to inherited retinal dystrophy caused by confirmed biallelic RPE65 mutations and who have sufficient viable retinal cells. Chemistry and production
Voretigene neparvovec is an AAV2 vector containing human RPE65 cDNA with a modified Kozak sequence. The virus is grown in HEK 293 cells and purified for administration. History
Married researchers Jean Bennett and Albert Maguire, among others, worked for decades on studies of congenital blindness, culminating in approval of a novel therapy, Luxturna.It was granted orphan drug designation for Leber congenital amaurosis and retinitis pigmentosa. A biologics license application was submitted to the FDA in July 2017 with Priority Review. Phase III clinical trial results were published in August 2017.