Jack Cope, a 30-year-old joiner from Bedford, has reported a significant reduction in symptoms of hereditary angioedema (HAE) due to a new trial treatment at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge. Mr Cope, who has had the condition since birth, experienced severe unpredictable swelling and painful attacks, sometimes weekly.
He states that he has gone from having about one attack a week to none for nearly a year since starting the treatment. HAE is caused by a defect in the gene controlling a blood protein called C1 inhibitor, leading to swelling in various parts of the body, including the throat, stomach, and face.
Mr Cope had previously tried all available treatments without success, leading him to join the international trial. The trial has been supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), with Addenbrooke's Hospital recruiting participants.