Thierry Abribat, PhD, chief executive officer of Amolyt Pharma provides an overview of hypoparathyroidism.
Persons with hypoparathyroidism show abnormally low levels of calcium in the blood and high levels of phosphorus (hyperphosphatemia).
Hypocalcemia can lead to weakness, muscle cramps, excessive nervousness, headaches, and/or uncontrollable twitching and cramping spasms of certain muscles such as those of the hands, feet, arms, legs, and/or face (tetany). Numbness and tingling around the mouth, fingers, and toes may also occur.
The most common cause of hypoparathyroidism is damage to or removal of the parathyroid glands due to surgery for another condition; however other etiologies do exist.
The primary therapies for individuals with hypoparathyroidism are calcium supplements and/or activated vitamin D. For individuals not controlled by those supplements, recombinant human parathyroid hormone (1-84) [rhPTH(1-84)] is also an option. Amolyt Pharma is developing AZP-3601 which targets the parathyroid hormone (PTH) receptor.
For more information about this and other rare endocrine conditions, visit checkrare.com/diseases/endocrine-disorders/