PTC Therapeutics Escalates Discussions with FDA Over a Pathway to Approval for Ataluren to Treat DMD

PTC Therapeutics announced today that it recently has submitted an appeal to escalate continuing discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about a path toward approval in the United States for Translarna to treat some forms of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). PTC completed submission of its New Drug Application (NDA) to market Translarna . . .

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Experimental Mitochondrial Myopathy Treatment Shows Encouraging Results in Phase 2 Trial

Stealth Bio Therapeutics has reported encouraging results from a phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate elamipretide for the treatment of muscle weakness caused by mitochondrial disease. Elamipretide is an experimental drug designed to modify disease by helping to restore normal energy production in mitochondria and decrease oxidative stress. In the completed MMPOWER trial, investigators treated . . .

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ALS Study Results Will Help Guide Clinical Trial Design

Results from a natural history study for familial (inherited) ALS caused by a mutation in the SOD1 gene have confirmed that a variation of the mutation called SOD1 A4V is associated with a more aggressive disease course when compared to non A4V SOD1 ALS. A variety of mutations in the gene for the SOD1 protein account . . .

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Mitsubishi Tanabe Seeks Approval in U.S. for Edaravone to Treat ALS

Osaka-based Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma reported on June 20 that it has submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, seeking marketing approval of its drug edaravone to treat people with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). The Japanese pharmaceutical company’s NDA submission marks one of its first steps in establishing a presence in . . .

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Five Questions with FSHD Researcher Peter Jones

Peter Jones, associate professor in cell and developmental biology and neurology at University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, was awarded an MDA research grant totaling $300,000 over a period of three years to develop a research mouse model for facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). Please describe your current research. Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is one . . .

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Laughter is the Best Medicine

Earlier this Spring, I had the honor of taking part in the 3rd annual Strength, Science and Stories of Inspiration event at the Harvard Science Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts. As a patient with dysferlinopathy (a form of muscular dystrophy), I was heartened to see every seat in the 500-person auditorium filled to support the mission of finding . . .

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Marathon Pharmaceuticals Submits New Drug Application to FDA for Deflazacort to Treat DMD

Marathon Pharmaceuticals announced today it has submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the investigational drug deflazacort for the treatment of people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The FDA has 60 days to determine whether the NDA is complete and acceptable for filing. Deflazacort, a glucocorticoid, works . . .

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Mixed Results in Phase 3 Trial for Myasthenia Gravis Drug

  Results from a phase 3 trial to test eculizumab in patients with refractory generalized myasthenia gravis (MG) show that the drug did not have a statistically significant effect on the primary endpoint — the Myasthenia Gravis – Activities of Daily Living profile (MG-ADL), a patient-reported index of daily living assessment. Alexion Pharmaceuticals, which is . . .

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FDA Has Requested Additional Data for Eteplirsen Review

Sarepta Therapeutics announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has requested that the company provide dystrophin data from biopsies that were taken as part of the ongoing confirmatory study of eteplirsen, called PROMOVI. The data was requested by the agency in connection with its ongoing evaluation of Sarepta’s New Drug Application (NDA) . . .

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