The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) is pleased to announce a collaboration with the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, which aims to bring genetic diagnoses to more individuals living with limb-girdle muscle weakness. The goal of the LGMD Rare Genomes Project is to bring the most advanced genetic techniques, including whole-genome sequencing and genetic variation . . .
With a laser focus on new horizons in neuromuscular research and care, the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) is combining its clinical and scientific conferences for the first time, establishing a robust, state-of-the-art gathering for both clinicians and investigators from across the nation. Medical and scientific experts in neuromuscular disease from academia, private practice, government, and . . .
Today, the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) announced the awarding of eight new grants totaling more than $2 million toward research focused on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a disease in which muscles become weak and eventually nonfunctional. Since its inception, MDA has invested more than $165 million in ALS research, and in the last five years . . .
On Mar. 28, Sarepta Therapeutics announced encouraging interim results from a phase 3 clinical trial that suggest the experimental drug casimersen potentially may be effective as a treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted Sarepta Therapeutics’ New Drug Application (NDA) seeking approval under Priority Review for . . .
On Mar. 5, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) awarded Orphan Drug designation to Acceleron Pharma’s ACE-083, a locally acting muscle agent, for treating Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT). Delivered by intramuscular injection, ACE-083 is based on the naturally occurring protein follistatin and is designed to enhance the body’s own promoters of muscle growth, specifically in . . .
On Feb. 27, Sarepta Therapeutics announced positive interim results of a phase 1/2a clinical trial for MYO-101, a gene therapy candidate developed by Myonexus Therapeutics for patients living with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2E (LGMD2E), also known as beta-sarcoglycanopathy. The first three patients dosed demonstrated significant expression of the protein beta-sarcoglycan in the muscle fiber, . . .
On Feb. 25, Amicus Therapeutics announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted breakthrough therapy designation (BTD) to AT-GAA, Amicus’ investigational combination drug therapy ATB200/AT2221 for treating late-onset Pompe disease. The company’s combination drug therapy pairs ATB200, a synthetic human acid alpha-glucosidase enzyme meant to replace the missing enzyme in Pompe disease, with pharmacological chaperone AT2221, . . .
On Mar. 1, the Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association (CMTA) and the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) announced that they have jointly awarded a research grant totaling $276,430 over three years to Kleopas Kleopa, M.D., professor and senior consulting neurologist at the Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, in Nicosia, Cyprus. Dr. Kleopa is . . .
Results of an extension study following an MDA-supported clinical trial showed that surgical removal of the thymus in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) offered benefits for as long as five years after surgery. The original clinical trial, which was extended for two years, showed patients who had the thymus removed had reduced muscle weakness and . . .
On Feb. 7, Cambridge, Mass.-based Solid Biosciences announced preliminary results from its phase 1/2 clinical trial, called IGNITE DMD, which is designed to assess the safety and efficacy of its lead drug candidate, SGT-001, in children and adolescents with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). DMD is caused by a mutation in the dystrophin gene on the X . . .
