This past year has seen a long-awaited improvement in the treatment of hemophilia A and B.
Regular use of prophylactic clotting factors has made vast improvements in the quality of life of boys and men diagnosed with hemophilia. With this use they can preserve joint health and participate in many sports and activities that were not previously possible. However to accomplish this requires patients to access their own veins and infuse themselves three or even more times a week. This has been improved in 2014.
In the last 12 months the FDA has now approved longer-acting Factor IX(used to treat hemophilia B) and Factor VIII(used to treat hemophilia A). This was accomplished by taking a protein found on antibodies and adding it to the clotting factors. This is much harder for the body to breakdown and the clotting factor now stays in the body for a longer period of time. In best case scenarios the new factor IX can be given as little as every 14 days.
Many other exciting products are still in development and further improvements are expected.
