FDA Approves Glutamine Powder for Sickle Cell Disease

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved L-glutamine oral powder (Endari, Emmaus Medical, Inc.) for oral administration to reduce the acute complications of sickle cell disease in adult and pediatric patients 5 years and older.

Approval was based on data from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center clinical trial (NCT01179217) enrolling 230 patients (5 to 58 years old) with sickle cell anemia or sickle β0-thalassemia who had two or more painful crises within the 12 months prior to enrollment. Eligible patients stabilized on hydroxyurea for at least 3 months, continued their therapy throughout the study. Patients were randomized to receive either L-glutamine or placebo for 48 weeks followed by three weeks of drug tapering.