Margarida Maia, PhD,  —

Margarida is a biochemist (University of Porto, Portugal) with a PhD in biomedical sciences (VIB and KULeuven, Belgium). Her main interest is science communication. She is also passionate about design and the dialogue between art and science.

Articles by Margarida Maia

Roche’s PNH treatment PiaSky now approved in the EU

The European Commission has approved Roche’s PiaSky (crovalimab) to treat adults and adolescents with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), ages 12 and older who weigh at least 40 kilograms (88 pounds). PiaSky is the first treatment for PNH in the European Union that’s administered subcutaneously (under the skin) once a…

Empaveli safely used in pregnancy, despite PNH complications

Using Empaveli (pegcetacoplan) during a new pregnancy led to a healthy outcome for a mother and her baby boy, even though complications of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) arose. The mother, who previously had two miscarriages and a poor response to Soliris (eculizumab), recovered from an episode of…

Individually dosed Empaveli more convenient, less costly in PNH

Individualized dosing of Empaveli (pegcetacoplan) may allow for a larger interval between doses in about 30% of adults with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), while cutting costs by about 8%, according to a study that simulated a clinical trial. The study, “Development of a target concentration intervention to…

ICER committee in favor of add-on danicopan for PNH, pending pricing

An independent appraisal committee voted that there was adequate evidence to show that adding danicopan to a C5 inhibitor may benefit certain people with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), pending price listing. Committee members also decided the evidence isn’t adequate to show a net health benefit for Fabhalta (iptacopan)…

PNH symptoms remain despite treatment with C5 inhibitors: Survey

People in Japan using C5 inhibitors to treat their paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) continue to experience symptoms like fatigue and shortness of breath, even if their hemoglobin levels surpass the median of real-world PNH populations, a survey study reports. “This study contributes to understanding the unmet needs of the…

Ultomiris dosing, for some, may go beyond recommended levels

Almost 6 out of 10 people with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) living in the U.S. may be being given a higher initial loading dose of Ultomiris (ravulizumab) than is recommended on the medication’s label, a database study into its clinical use reports. Researchers also observed that maintenance doses,…

Add-on danicopan found to help control anemia in PNH trial

Danicopan, an experimental oral medication, continued to help control anemia when taken for up to 48 weeks by adults with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) who experience a breakdown of red blood cells outside of blood vessels — called extravascular hemolysis — despite being on a C5 inhibitor. That’s according…

Top 10 PNH stories of 2023

This year, PNH News brought up-to-date coverage of the latest scientific and clinical research developments in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). Here are the 10 most-read news stories of 2023, along with a brief description of what made them interesting to our readers. We look forward to continuing to…

New extended data show Fabhalta keeps working for nearly 1 year

Taking Novartis’ Fabhalta (iptacopan) as a monotherapy — meaning as a sole treatment — twice daily for almost one year continued to sustain hemoglobin at near-normal levels, generally without the need for blood transfusions, in adults with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). These new data come from an open-label…