Publications by authors named "Michael B Bober"

Background: Vosoritide is a C-type natriuretic peptide analog that addresses an underlying pathway causing reduced bone growth in achondroplasia. Understanding the vosoritide treatment effect requires evaluation over an extended duration and comparison with outcomes in untreated children.

Methods: After completing ≥6 months of a baseline observational growth study and 52 weeks in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study (ClinicalTrials.

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  • The surgical management of scoliosis in patients with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is complicated by factors such as rigid spinal curves, short stature, and fragile bones, prompting a study on various treatment methods.
  • A retrospective review of 30 OI patients (average age 14.1 years) who underwent posterior spinal fusion revealed significant improvements in major curve correction and other spinal parameters after a minimum follow-up of 2 years.
  • Complications were minimal, with only two patients experiencing issues like proximal junctional kyphosis, indicating the approach's effectiveness and safety in addressing severe scoliosis in OI patients.
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  • * Through analysis of fibroblasts and a fruit fly model, we found that these variants resulted in decreased lipid droplet formation and impaired gene expression linked to SREBP, indicating disrupted pathway function.
  • * Our findings suggest that SREBF2 variants hinder the cleavage of S1P targets, causing disease symptoms by negatively affecting SREBP1 and SREBP2 activity.
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Background And Objective: Vosoritide is a recently approved therapy for achondroplasia, the most common form of disproportionate short stature, that has been shown to be well tolerated and effective in increasing linear growth. This study aimed to develop a population pharmacokinetic (PPK) model to characterize pharmacokinetics (PK) of vosoritide and establish a weight-band dosing regimen.

Methods: A PPK model was developed using data from five clinical trials in children with achondroplasia (aged 0.

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  • Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a rare genetic disorder that significantly impacts the quality of life for those affected, leading to increased healthcare needs and economic burdens for individuals, families, and society.
  • The IMPACT survey aimed to gather comprehensive data on various aspects of OI, including the humanistic, clinical, and economic impacts, and included responses from adults, adolescents, caregivers, and close relatives across eight languages.
  • Results revealed that pain was the most common symptom reported, alongside notable issues such as fatigue, scoliosis, and mental health problems, emphasizing the multifaceted challenges faced by individuals with OI.
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  • The skeletal dysplasias are a diverse group of genetic conditions impacting bone and cartilage growth, but the role of cytokines in these disorders is not well understood.
  • A study analyzed cytokine levels in 136 children with skeletal dysplasia compared to 275 healthy controls, focusing on 12 specific cytokines across various dysplasia types.
  • Findings revealed significant differences in cytokine expression, with certain cytokines consistently elevated or decreased across all dysplasia cohorts, highlighting particularly high levels in MOPDII cases.
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Background: Vosoritide is a recombinant C-type natriuretic peptide analogue that increases annualised growth velocity in children with achondroplasia aged 5-18 years. We aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of vosoritide in infants and children younger than 5 years.

Methods: This double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial was done in 16 hospitals across Australia, Japan, the UK, and the USA.

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Hereditary spastic parapareses (HSPs) are clinically heterogeneous motor neuron diseases with variable age of onset and severity. Although variants in dozens of genes are implicated in HSPs, much of the genetic basis for pediatric-onset HSP remains unexplained. Here, we re-analyzed clinical exome-sequencing data from siblings with HSP of unknown genetic etiology and identified an inherited nonsense mutation (c.

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Matrix Gla protein (MGP) is a vitamin K-dependent post-translationally modified protein, highly expressed in vascular and cartilaginous tissues. It is a potent inhibitor of extracellular matrix mineralization. Biallelic loss-of-function variants in the MGP gene cause Keutel syndrome, an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by widespread calcification of various cartilaginous tissues and skeletal and vascular anomalies.

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Introduction: Vosoritide is the first precision medical therapy approved to increase growth velocity in children with achondroplasia. Sharing early prescribing experiences across different regions could provide a framework for developing practical guidance for the real-world use of vosoritide.

Methods: Two meetings were held to gather insight and early experience from experts in Europe, the Middle East, and the USA.

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Objective: The objective of this study was to describe the incidence and management of hydrocephalus in patients with achondroplasia over a 60-year period at four skeletal dysplasia centers.

Methods: The Achondroplasia Natural History Study (CLARITY) is a registry for clinical data from achondroplasia patients receiving treatment at four skeletal dysplasia centers in the US from 1957 to 2017. Data were entered and stored in a REDCap database and included surgeries with indications and complications, medical diagnoses, and radiographic information.

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Background: Recently, tracheal narrowing has been recognized as a significant comorbid condition in patients with Morquio A, also known as mucopolysaccharidosis IVA. We studied a large cohort of patients with Morquio A to describe the extent of their tracheal narrowing and its relationship to airway management during anesthesia care.

Methods: This is an observational study, collecting data retrospectively, of a cohort of patients with Morquio A.

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Background: TransCon CNP (navepegritide) is an investigational prodrug of C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) designed to allow for continuous CNP exposure with once-weekly dosing. This 52-week phase 2 (ACcomplisH) trial assessed the safety and efficacy of TransCon CNP in children with achondroplasia.

Methods: ACcomplisH is a global, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-escalation trial.

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  • Diastrophic dysplasia (DTD) is caused by mutations in the SLC26A2 gene, affecting sulfate uptake and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) sulfation, and it may benefit from pharmacological treatments as studied in an animal model.
  • In identifying non-invasive biomarkers for DTD, research focused on urinary GAG sulfation and blood levels of collagen X marker (CXM), which are linked to the severity of the condition and growth metrics.
  • Results indicated that DTD patients exhibit undersulfated urinary GAGs and lower than normal CXM levels, suggesting both biomarkers can help evaluate treatment effectiveness and the disorder's metabolism and ossification processes.
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Background: The purpose of this study was to describe the frequency and risk factors for orthopedic surgery in patients with achondroplasia. CLARITY (The Achondroplasia Natural History Study) includes clinical data from achondroplasia patients receiving treatment at four skeletal dysplasia centers in the United States from 1957 to 2018. Data were entered and stored in a Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) database.

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Purpose: Pregnancies affected by maternal or fetal achondroplasia present unique challenges. The optimal route of delivery in fetuses with achondroplasia has not been established. Our objective was to determine whether the route of delivery affects postnatal achondroplasia-related surgical burden.

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Background: Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a rare heritable connective tissue disorder primarily characterised by skeletal deformity and fragility, and an array of secondary features. The purpose of this review was to capture and quantify the published evidence relating specifically to the clinical, humanistic, and economic impact of OI on individuals, their families, and wider society.

Methods: A systematic scoping review of 11 databases (MEDLINE, MEDLINE in-progress, EMBASE, CENTRAL, PsycINFO, NHS EED, CEA Registry, PEDE, ScHARRHUd, Orphanet and Google Scholar), supplemented by hand searches of grey literature, was conducted to identify OI literature published 1st January 1995-18th December 2021.

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Inherited deficiency in ether lipids, a subgroup of glycerophospholipids with unique biochemical and biophysical properties, evokes severe symptoms in humans resulting in a multi-organ syndrome. Mouse models with defects in ether lipid biosynthesis have widely been used to understand the pathophysiology of human disease and to study the roles of ether lipids in various cell types and tissues. However, little is known about the function of these lipids in cardiac tissue.

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Purpose: This study was undertaken to collect baseline growth parameters in children with achondroplasia who might enroll in interventional trials of vosoritide, and to establish a historical control.

Methods: In this prospective, observational study, participants (≤17 years) underwent a detailed medical history and physical examination and were followed every 3 months until they finished participating in the study by enrolling in an interventional trial or withdrawing.

Results: A total of 363 children were enrolled (28 centers, 8 countries).

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  • The Morquio A Registry Study (MARS) is an ongoing international study that aims to understand the disease's variety and the long-term effects of elosulfase alfa enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) for patients with MPS IVA.
  • As of February 2021, 381 patients from 17 countries participated, with ERT-treated individuals generally diagnosed at a younger age and showing significant reductions in urinary keratan sulfate levels after treatment.
  • While nearly half of the ERT-treated subjects experienced adverse events, the study provides important data on treatment safety and effectiveness, making it the largest study of its kind for MPS IVA patients.
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Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a rare genetic heterogeneous disorder that causes increased bone fragility and recurrent fractures. For infants with OI and diffuse fractures, pain management, which is nuanced and specific for this population, is of the utmost importance to their neonatal care. Through experience at our center, we have developed a standard approach that has been successful in optimizing survival for these infants during this tenuous period.

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