News

FSHD patients sought for first clinical trial testing EPI-321

Enrollment is now ongoing in a first-in-human trial testing EPI-321, an epigenetic therapy designed to address the root cause of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), a disease type in which symptoms like muscle weakness typically become apparent by adulthood. The Phase 1/2 clinical trial (NCT06907875) is expected to enroll…

DYNE-251 for DMD granted FDA breakthrough therapy designation

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted breakthrough therapy designation to Dyne Therapeutics’ DYNE-251 for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in patients amenable to exon 51 skipping. This designation is intended to accelerate the development and regulatory review of medications intended to treat serious…

Duchenne MD gene-editing therapy nets orphan drug designation

An experimental gene editing therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) being developed by Precision Biosciences has received orphan drug status from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The designation focuses on treatments for rare diseases like DMD. Its benefits include tax credits and fee exemptions, along with…

Elevidys shipments for ambulatory DMD patients to resume

Note: This story was updated July 30, 2025, to include data from part two of the EMBARK trial. Sarepta Therapeutics will soon resume shipping Elevidys (delandistrogene moxeparvovec-rokl) for ambulatory Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients, following a review of safety data by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA),…

Del-zota for DMD awarded FDA breakthrough therapy designation

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted breakthrough therapy designation to delpacibart zotadirsen, known as del-zota, as a treatment for people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) amenable to exon 44 skipping. This designation is intended to speed the development and review of therapies for serious conditions when early…

Dosing begins in gene therapy trial for DMD-linked heart disease

The first patient has been dosed as part of a Phase 1b clinical trial of AAV1.SERCA2 (SRD-003), Sardocor‘s one-time gene therapy for cardiomyopathy — a type of heart disease — associated with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD-CM). The multicenter trial, dubbed MUSIC-DMD (NCT06224660), is being conducted in collaboration…

Capricor plans for deramiocel resubmission after FDA rejection

Capricor Therapeutics will resubmit its application for U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of its cell therapy deramiocel to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD)-related heart disease, following the agency’s decision to not accept the original filing. According to a company press release, the FDA issued a…

Households caring for DMD patients face high costs: US survey

Households incur substantial costs to accommodate people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), according to a survey of patient caregivers in the U.S. Costs, such as those for purchasing and/or modifying an accessible vehicle, relocating to or building an accessible home, modifying home entrances, and buying medical equipment, were particularly…