Enzyme replacement therapy in patients with Fabry's disease.

Fabry's disease, a disorder affecting the gene for the lysosomal enzyme alpha-galactosidase A (alpha-GAL A), can cause accumulation of globotriaosylceramide (GL-3) in the vascular endothelial cells. Symptoms include pain, angiokeratoma, corneal clouding, and damage to the heart and kidneys. Human recombinant alpha-GAL A for use as an enzyme replacement therapy was launched in Japan in April 2004. Eleven ambulatory patients with Fabry's disease were given replacement alpha-GAL A therapy. Three patients died due to factors associated with Fabry's disease. The enzyme replacement therapies in the remaining eight patients continued safely without any notable adverse events. The following were observed: a lowering of the plasma levels of GL-3 in seven cases, an improvement in the daily activities in six cases, and a reduction in corneal clouding in three cases. Although careful observation is necessary, these results suggest that replacement alpha-GAL A therapy may be a safe and effective treatment of Fabry's disease.