Taliglucerase alfa for the treatment of Gaucher's disease.

Gaucher's disease is a rare inherited inborn error of metabolism caused by mutations in the gene encoding the lysosomal enzyme glucocerebrosidase, GBA. Glucocerebrosidase is involved in the metabolism of the lipid metabolism-derived substrate, glucocerebroside. Accumulation of glucocerebroside substrate in macrophages, as a result of loss of enzyme function, leads to the formation of Gaucher cells causing hypertrophy of the spleen and liver, hematological disorders, skeletal malformations and the neurological symptoms characteristic of Gaucher's disease. The disease is subdivided into three types that differ in their symptoms, severity and prognosis. Patients of any age can be affected but those of a younger age have a poor prognosis often dying in infancy. As a genetic disorder the incidence of the disease is variable on a global scale. Enzyme replacement therapy is the therapy of choice and has demonstrated good efficacy in treating the visceral and skeletal symptoms of Gaucher's disease. A cost-effective plant-cell-derived human recombinant glucocerebrosidase, taliglucerase alfa, has been developed that demonstrated a promising safety and efficacy profile in phase I clinical trials and is currently in phase III and IV trials for the treatment of pediatric and adult patients with Gaucher's disease.