An Evaluation of an Australian Pediatric Neuromuscular Transition Model.

Background: After receiving a diagnosis of a neuromuscular condition, patients have to make their way through a convoluted network of community and state resources as health care shifts from being family and child centered to adult focused. This study examined the barriers to successful transition from patient and clinician perspectives.

Methods: Adolescents with a primary diagnosis of a neuromuscular condition who were aged 16 years and over in Queensland, Australia, and who had started the transition process were eligible.

Nusinersen for SMA: expanded access programme.

Background: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a devastating motor neuron disorder causing progressive muscle weakness and respiratory insufficiency. We present the initial Australian experiences implementing the expanded access programme (EAP) to enable preapproval access to nusinersen, the first disease-modifying therapy, for SMA type 1.

Methods: An Australian multicentre, open-label EAP for nusinersen enrolled patients with infantile-onset SMA type 1 from November 2016 to September 2017.

Nutritional status of patients with ataxia-telangiectasia: A case for early and ongoing nutrition support and intervention.

Aim: Ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) is a rare genomic syndrome resulting in severe disability. Chronic childhood disorders can profoundly influence growth and development. Nutrition-related issues in A-T are not well described, and there are no nutritional guidelines.

Ang-2-VEGF-A CrossMab, a novel bispecific human IgG1 antibody blocking VEGF-A and Ang-2 functions simultaneously, mediates potent antitumor, antiangiogenic, and antimetastatic efficacy.

Purpose: VEGF-A blockade has been clinically validated as a treatment for human cancers. Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) expression has been shown to function as a key regulator of tumor angiogenesis and metastasis.

Experimental Design: We have applied the recently developed CrossMab technology for the generation of a bispecific antibody recognizing VEGF-A with one arm based on bevacizumab (Avastin), and the other arm recognizing Ang-2 based on LC06, an Ang-2 selective human IgG1 antibody.