Lafora Disease — Research Summary
Printed from RareWays (rareways.com.au) on 24 September 2026
For general awareness only. Not medical advice. Discuss all care options with your healthcare team.
5 Most Recent Research Articles
- 1.
MicroLC-HRMS selective quantification of a biotherapeutic fusion protein in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with Lafora disease using a linker-containing signature peptide.
Esposito Erika et al. — Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis (15 October 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42190401/
- 2.
Photosensitivity in Lafora and Unverricht-Lundborg progressive myoclonic epilepsies.
Canafoglia Laura et al. — Epilepsia (25 July 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42501323/
- 3.
Progress report on new epilepsy treatments: A summary of the Eighteenth Eilat Conference on New Antiepileptic Drugs and Devices (EILAT XVIII). I. Treatments in preclinical and early clinical development.
Bialer Meir et al. — Epilepsia (18 July 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42470358/
- 4.
Neuropsychological functioning and progression in Lafora disease.
Mazzone Serena et al. — Epilepsia (10 July 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42430201/
- 5.
A novel homozygous NHLRC1 variant in siblings with Lafora disease presenting with myoclonic seizures.
Wang Xiaoli et al. — Epileptic disorders : international epilepsy journal with videotape (9 July 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42423497/
Source: RareWays research directory. Data from PubMed, Europe PMC, OpenAlex, ClinicalTrials.gov.
Always verify information with your healthcare team before making any decisions about your care.
Lafora Disease
Lafora disease is a rare inherited form of progressive myoclonic epilepsy that usually begins in the teenage years. Abnormal sugar deposits called Lafora bodies build up in brain cells, leading to seizures, muscle jerks, and a decline in thinking and movement skills. Care focuses on anti-seizure medicines, therapy and family support, and research into treatments that target the underlying storage problem is ongoing.
Most Recent Research
Although mass spectrometry-based approaches are increasingly used for protein biotherapeutic bioanalysis, validated workflows remain limited for fusion proteins across multiple clinical matrices, including cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). We developed a microflow liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) bottom-up proteomics assay for VAL-1221, an investigational fusion protein (cell-penetrating antibody Fab linked to recombinant human acid α-glucosidase). HRMS data were acquired in data-dependent acquisition (DDA) mode to support untargeted characterization of the digest and select a linker-containing signature peptide. Quantification was performed by extracted-ion chromatogram (XIC) integration of a quantifier signal, with confirmation by a qualifier signal. The method was validated in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid, including assessment of selectivity, linearity, precision and accuracy, matrix effects, recovery, and stability. The assay was linear over 68-1700 nM in plasma and 6.8-1700 nM in CSF (coefficients of determination ≥ 0.998), with lower limits of quantification of 55.8 and 5.2 nM, respectively, and precision and accuracy were within 15%. The matrix factor was 80.5% in plasma and 102.4% in cerebrospinal fluid. Applied to compassionate-use samples from five patients with Lafora disease receiving intravenous VAL-1221 (20 mg/kg every other week), VAL-1221 was detected in plasma up to 4 h post-infusion, whereas cerebrospinal fluid concentrations were below the method detection limit under the tested regimen. Overall, this workflow provides a validated, sequence-specific approach for exposure and biodistribution assessment of fusion-protein biotherapeutics in human matrices.
Common Questions
What is Lafora Disease?
Lafora disease is a rare inherited form of progressive myoclonic epilepsy that usually begins in the teenage years. Abnormal sugar deposits called Lafora bodies build up in brain cells, leading to seizures, muscle jerks, and a decline in thinking and movement skills. Care focuses on anti-seizure medicines, therapy and family support, and research into treatments that target the underlying storage problem is ongoing.
How many clinical trials are available for Lafora Disease?
RareWays currently indexes 3 clinical trials for Lafora Disease, of which 1 is actively recruiting. Trial availability changes as new studies are registered — check the trials tab for current status.
Where does the research data for Lafora Disease come from?
RareWays aggregates research from PubMed, Europe PMC, OpenAlex, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Data is updated regularly by Rocky, RareWays' automated research engine. All articles and trials link directly to their original sources.
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This information is for general awareness only.
For guidance specific to your situation, please speak with your healthcare team.