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ECHS1

Seeking A Cure for ECHS1 Deficiency

Waiting for others isn’t an option — our time to act is now. Together, we must take bold steps to advance research, drive progress, and create the change that will bring us closer to a cure.

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Also Known As: ECHS1D / SCEH Deficiency / Crotonase Deficiency /
Mitochondrial Short Chain Enoyl-CoA Hydratase Deficiency /
Enoyl-CoA Hydratase Short Chain 1 (ECHS1)

Richie, USA

Introduction

We, as families of children with rare diseases, take on roles as advocates, educators, and pioneers in research. We organize fundraisers, raise awareness, and collaborate closely with scientists to advance understanding and treatment. Our determination not only fuels our efforts but also inspires communities far and wide to join us in supporting research initiatives, all driven by the shared hope for breakthroughs that will change lives.

Families from around the world are partnering with Cure Mito Foundation to raise funds that get us closer to a treatment or cure for our children.

Gene Therapy Process

Gene therapy is a revolutionary approach to treating genetic diseases, where a one-time treatment can provide a lifetime of benefits. Instead of treating just the symptoms, gene therapy fixes the disease at the source by replacing the defective gene with a healthy copy.

A healthy copy of the patient's defective gene is loaded into a virus that has been stripped of its own DNA.

Trillions of viruses, each containing a healthy copy of the gene, are injected into the patient's spinal fluid.

The viruses bind to cells in the patient's spinal cord and brain and deliver healthy gene's to the cell's nucleus.

Gene Therapy Program

ECHS1 Gene Therapy Program

The Cure Mito Foundation is working to collaborate on an ECHS1 AAV9 Gene Replacement Therapy. The therapy aims to deliver a functional ECHS1 gene using AAV9 to restore mitochondrial function. This innovative treatment offers hope for improving outcomes in ECHS1 Deficiency patients.
For more information or to support the cause, contact bill@curemito.org.

ECHS1 Preclinical & Toxicology

Goal: $1.5 Million | Raised $50,000

3%
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The process begins with identifying a target molecule related to a disease. Scientists then develop a compound to interact with the molecule and modify its function.
Preclinical research involves studying drugs or treatments for diseases before human testing, including investigating disease causes and testing treatments in animals.
Toxicology studies evaluate drug safety and toxicity before human trials.
Clinical trials are investigations conducted on humans to determine the safety of gene therapy approaches for individuals by healthcare practitioners.
Happy girl smiling after piano performance affected by ECHS1 Deficiency

Lila, USA

Drug Repurposing

Drug-repurposing studies aim to identify effective treatments by testing existing drugs for new therapeutic uses. Cure Mito is actively exploring this approach to address specific gene variations associated with Leigh Syndrome. By repurposing drugs already approved for other conditions, we hope to accelerate the development of treatments that can significantly impact patients’ lives. We invite collaboration from researchers, clinicians, and industry partners to expand this vital research and provide much-needed support to the Leigh Syndrome community.

225,000
All Cure Mito-Funded Drug Repurposing Projects to Date

Interested in more information?

Make a Donation

Your support can help us accelerate the discovery of a cure and bring hope to families affected by ECHS1 Deficiency. Together, we can drive groundbreaking research, fund innovative treatments, and move closer to a future where a cure is within reach.

Donate To ECHS1

Nora, Romania

ECHS1 Fundraising Village

If you are interested in supporting a fund which honors a child or family member affected by ECHS1 Deficiency, please click the “Donate Now” button associated with one of the campaigns below.

You can learn more about each of the campaigns by clicking on the respective team name.

Raquel, Mexico

Create a Campaign

Please email bill@curemito.org if you would like information about starting a fund in honor or memory of your loved one.

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We're in this together

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The Lab Project and Team At Work

Check back soon for more updates!

ECHS1 Papers & Resources

ECHS1 deficiency and its biochemical and clinical phenotype

Can Ozlu, Priya Chelliah, Hamza Dahshi, Daniel Horton, Veronica B. Edgar, Souad Messahel, Saima Kayani (2022)

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ECHS1 Cure Odyssey

Ethan O. Perlstein, Ph.D. (2024)

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Valine and Inflammation Drive Epilepsy in a Mouse Model of ECHS1 Deficiency

Meghan M. Eller, Aamir R. Zuberi, Xiaorong Fu, Shawn C. Burgess, Cathleen M. Lutz, Rachel M. Bailey (2024)

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ECHS1 mutations in Leigh disease: a new inborn error of metabolism affecting valine metabolism

Heidi Peters, Nicole Buck, Ronald Wanders, Jos Ruiter, Hans Waterham, Janet Koster, Joy Yaplito-Lee, Sacha Ferdinandusse, James Pitt (2014)

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Clinical, biochemical, and genetic features of four patients with short-chain enoyl-CoA hydratase (ECHS1) deficiency

Patricia E. Fitzsimons, Charlotte L. Alston, Penelope E. Bonnen, Joanne Hughes, Ellen Crushell, Michael T. Geraghty, Martine Tetreault, Peter O'Reilly, Eilish Twomey, Yusra Sheikh, Richard Walsh, Hans R. Waterham, Sacha Ferdinandusse, Ronald J. A. Wanders, Robert W. Taylor, James J. Pitt, Philip D. Mayne (2018)

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ECHS1 disease in two unrelated families of Samoan descent: Common variant ‐ rare disorder

Simon MT, Eftekharian SS, Ferdinandusse S, Tang S, Naseri T, Reupena MS, McGarvey ST, Minster RL, Weeks DE; Samoan Obesity, Lifestyle, and Genetic Adaptations (OLaGA) Study Group; Nguyen DD, Lee S, Ellsworth KA, Vaz FM, Dimmock D, Pitt J, Abdenur (2020/2021)

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Exploring triheptanoin as treatment for short chain enoyl CoA hydratase deficiency

Engelstad K, Salazar R, Koenigsberger D, Stackowtiz E, Brodlie S, Brandabur M, De Vivo DC. (2021)

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Mitochondrial Short-Chain Enoyl-CoA Hydratase 1 Deficiency

Ganetzky R, Stojinski C (2019)

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Medical nutrition therapy in patients with HIBCH and ECHS1 defects: Clinical and biochemical response to low valine diet

Abdenur JE, Sowa M, Simon M, Steenari M, Skaar J, Eftekharian S, Chang R, Ferdinandusse S, Pitt J. (2020)

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Pathogenic Biallelic Mutations in ECHS1 in a Case with Short-Chain Enoyl-CoA Hydratase (SCEH) Deficiency-Case Report and Literature Review

Muntean C, Tripon F, Bogliș A, Bănescu C. (2022)

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Understanding the role of OXPHOS dysfunction in the pathogenesis of ECHS1 deficiency

Harrison James Burgin, Matthew McKenzie (2020)

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Mitochondrial Fatty Acid Oxidation Disorders Associated with Short-Chain Enoyl-CoA Hydratase (ECHS1) Deficiency

Sharpe, Alice J., and Matthew McKenzie. (2018)

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Metabolite studies in HIBCH and ECHS1 defects: Implications for screening

Heidi Peters, Sacha Ferdinandusse, Jos P. Ruiter, Ronald J.A. Wanders, Avihu Boneh,
James Pitt (2015)

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Deficiency of ECHS1 causes mitochondrial encephalopathy with cardiac involvement

Tobias B. Haack, et. al (2015)

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Clinical, biochemical and metabolic characterisation of a mild form of human short-chain enoyl-CoA hydratase deficiency: significance of increased N-acetyl-S-(2-arboxypropyl)cysteine excretion

Kenichiro Yamada, Kaori Aiba, Yasuyuki Kitaura, Yusuke Kondo, Noriko Nomura, Yuji Nakamura, Daisuke Fukushi, Kei Murayama, Yoshiharu Shimomura, James Pitt, Seiji Yamaguchi, Kenji Yokochi, Nobuaki Wakamatsu (2015)

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Valine metabolites analysis in ECHS1 deficiency

Kuwajima M, Kojima K, Osaka H, Hamada Y, Jimbo E, Watanabe M, Aoki S, Sato-Shirai I, Ichimoto K, Fushimi T, Murayama K, Ohtake A, Kohda M, Kishita Y, Yatsuka Y, Uchino S, Mimaki M, Miyake N, Matsumoto N, Okazaki Y, Ogata T, Yamagata T, Muramatsu K. (2021)

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Further delineation of short-chain enoyl-CoA hydratase deficiency in the Pacific population

Bernhardt I, Frajman LE, Ryder B, Andersen E, Wilson C, McKeown C, Anderson T, Coman D, Vincent AL, Buchanan C, Roxburgh R, Pitt J, De Hora M, Christodoulou J, Thorburn DR, Wilson F, Drake KM, Leask M, Yardley AM, Merriman T, Robertson S, Compton AG, Glamuzina E. (2024)

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Clinical improvements after treatment with a low-valine and low-fat diet in a pediatric patient with enoyl-CoA hydratase, short chain 1 (ECHS1) deficiency

Pata S, Flores-Rojas K, Gil A, López-Laso E, Marti-Sánchez L, Baide-Mairena H, Pérez-Dueñas B, Gil-Campos M. (2022)

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Stimulating Mitochondrial Biogenesis with Deoxyribonucleosides Increases Functional Capacity in ECHS1-Deficient Cells

Burgin HJ, Crameri JJ, Stojanovski D, Sanchez MIGL, Ziemann M, McKenzie M. (2022)

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Increased ketone levels as a key magnetic resonance spectroscopic findings during acute exacerbation in ECHS1-related Leigh syndrome

Murofushi Y, Ochiai K, Yasukochi M, Sano K, Ichimoto K, Murayama K, Okazaki Y, Omata T, Takanashi JI. (2024)

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Cure Mito Research Partners

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