Marisa Wexler, MS,  senior science writer—

Synthetic biology company bit.bio has launched two new human muscle cell models to advance research into new treatment strategies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The two models, dubbed ioSkeletal Myocytes DMD Exon 44 Deletion, and ioSkeletal Myocytes DMD Exon 52 Deletion, are the eighth and ninth products that…

After a year of treatment with the experimental oral therapy EDG-5506 in a Phase 1 study, most men with Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) show stable or improved motor function — a marked contrast to the disease’s natural course, where motor function worsens over time. One-year findings in the…

Catalyst Pharmaceuticals has entered a licensing agreement for the North American rights to vamorolone, a dissociative corticosteroid under review in the U.S. and Europe for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Under the deal, Catalyst will give vamorolone’s developer Santhera Pharmaceuticals an upfront cash payment of $75 million,…

Three advocacy organizations are teaming up to run a clinical trial to test if efgartigimod, an approved treatment for certain autoimmune diseases, might let more people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) benefit from gene therapies. CureDuchenne, Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), and Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD)…

Avidity Biosciences is planning to double the dosage of AOC 1001 being given to a dozen people with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) who are receiving the experimental therapy in the MARINA-OLE clinical trial. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had placed a partial clinical hold…

An advisory committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has voted narrowly in favor of accelerated approval for SRP-9001 (delandistrogene moxeparvovec), an experimental gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). While the FDA is not obligated to abide by the committee’s vote, the agency will consider…

An advisory committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be meeting  Friday to discuss SRP-9001 (delandistrogene moxeparvovec), a gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) that’s up for possible approval. The meeting, which will be livestreamed on YouTube, is scheduled from 9 a.m. to…

After two years of treatment with losmapimod, people in a clinical trial with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) showed no upper limb function worsening. Leo Wang, MD, PhD, of the University of Washington, presented the findings at the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) annual meeting in the talk, “…

Motor function improvements seen in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) one year after being given the gene therapy SRP-9001 (delandistrogene moxeparvovec) continued for a second year, according to new clinical trial data presented at the recent American Academy of…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted fast track designation to RGX-202, a one-time gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) that is in early clinical trials. The FDA gives this designation to investigational treatments that have the potential to address unmet clinical care needs for…