Receiving a diagnosis of a neuromuscular disease is often not easy — there can be denial, anger, grief, and a frustrating sense that maybe life is, in a way, over. For Wolfgang Pernice, PhD, however, being diagnosed with Charcot Marie Tooth disease (CMT) in his early teens didn’t bother him that much. He says his . . .
Carlos T. Moraes, PhD, professor of Neurology at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine in Florida, has an ongoing MDA research grant (totaling $300,000 over three years) to develop gene-editing enzymes that can be used to correct genetic mutations causing mitochondrial myopathies. Mitochondrial diseases caused by mutations in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) are most . . .
James Ervasti, PhD, professor of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, was awarded an MDA research grant totaling $300,000 over three years to study the mechanical characterization of dystrophin in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). DMD is caused by a mutation in the dystrophin gene on the X chromosome that . . .
MDA announced today the awarding of 25 new MDA grants totaling more than $6.6 million toward research focused on a variety of rare neuromuscular diseases (NMDs), including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD), Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), inclusion body myositis (IBM), limb-girdle muscular dystrophy . . .
Stephen Meriney, PhD, professor of Neuroscience and Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh, was awarded an MDA research grant totaling $302,587 over three years to develop a combinatorial drug approach to discover possible therapeutics for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). His work is focused on testing a novel calcium channel agonist (an agonist produces the same . . .
Biogen announced positive long-term results from its ongoing phase 2 (NURTURE) clinical trial evaluating Spinraza (nusinersen) for treating spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at the Cure SMA Annual Conference held June 28 through July 1 this year. New data from the NURTURE study demonstrated that after almost four years, infants who were treated with Spinraza before developing symptoms of SMA . . .
The ALS Association, ALS Finding a Cure (ALSFAC), and MDA announced they have jointly awarded a clinical trial grant totaling more than $2.5 million over two-and-a-half years to leading investigators at the Houston Methodist Neurological Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital. The principal investigator is Stanley Appel, MD, co-director of Houston Methodist Neurological Institute, chair of . . .
Scholar Rock Holding Corporation announced positive results from its phase 1 clinical trial evaluating SRK-015, a therapy for treating spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), at the Cure SMA Annual Conference held June 28 through July 1 this year. Consistent with previously announced interim findings in February, the final results showed positive safety, pharmacodynamic, and pharmacokinetic data in healthy volunteers, supporting . . .
MDA has awarded MDA Venture Philanthropy (MVP) funding totaling $389,463 over two years to Rachelle H. Crosbie, PhD, professor and chair of Integrative Biology and Physiology at the University of California, Los Angeles. The award will support the development of a small molecule drug that increases expression of sarcospan, a protein that may help to . . .
Computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones have become ubiquitous features of our daily lives — but not of our healthcare. At least, not yet. But a group of physicians at MDA’s 2019 Clinical & Scientific Conference made a few convincing cases for increased use of personal electronics in healthcare and clinical trials. Dr. James Berry of . . .
