Official announcements have confirmed that the US Food and Drug Administration has approved Shire Human Genetic Therapies Inc.'s Velaglucerase Alfa for injection (VPRIV) for the treatment of Gaucher disease, a rare inherited disorder. The news of the approval was shared by the agency on Friday.

The condition is caused as a result of a lack of an enzyme called glucocerebrosidase. This allows the buildup of a fatty substance, called lipid, in the liver, bones, spleen, bone marrow and nervous system.

The condition currently affects only about 1 in 50,000 people, as was revealed by the FDA in an official news release.

The newly approved treatments replace the lacking enzyme in people with Type 1 Gaucher disease, which is the condition's most common form. An older form of replacement therapy is short in supply.

The safety and effectiveness of VPRIV were tested in clinical trials which involved 82 people, aged 4 and above, suffering from Type 1 Gaucher. Allergic reactions were the most common side effect reported, in addition to joint pain, aching back and abdomen and others.