CARRBORO, N.C. (WNCN) — A Carrboro teenager with a rare genetic disorder recently received a newly-approved drug to treat the condition.
In early March, CBS 17 shared the story of Cole Mausolf, who has Hunter syndrome. The genetic disorder, also known as MPS II, is a progressive disease affecting the body and brain. It can cause children to lose their skills and abilities, often leading to death in teenage years.
At the time, Cole’s doctor, Joseph Muenzer, a pediatric geneticist with UNC Health and the head of the Muenzer MPS Research and Treatment Center, was waiting to find out if the FDA would approve a drug he’d been studying. The enzyme-replacement therapy crosses the blood-brain barrier to treat the disease in both the body and brain, and Dr. Muenzer said it showed promising results in clinical trials…