Emmaus Medical, a subsidiary of Emmaus Life Sciences, has received European orphan medicinal product designation for Levoglutamide (L-glutamine) for the treatment of sickle cell disease.
Emmaus is at present conducting a trial, at over 30 sites around the country with over 175 people presently enrolled, which is in Phase III with the FDA to study L-glutamine as a treatment for sickle cell disease.
The company expects to enroll a total of more than 200 and aims to complete the trial in 2013.
Emmaus founder and CEO Yutaka Niihara said the positive decision by the European Commission paves the way to provide accessible treatment to people throughout Europe who suffer from this debilitating disease.
"Throughout the world a new treatment option for sickle cell disease is urgently needed, and we are committed to bringing a treatment to market for this severely underserved patient population," Niihara added.
Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder causing red blood cells to become oxidized, forming rigid and sickle shaped cells that block small blood vessels.
