News

The U.S. Food and Drug Administation has granted orphan designation to Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals‘ drug candidate MNK-1411 for treatment of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). MNK-1411 is an injection composed of a formulation of tetracosactide, which is a synthetic melanocortin receptor agonist. Melanocortin receptor agonists are hormones that activate melanocortin receptors and…

The molecular process that leads to congenital myotonic dystrophy (CMD) in infants and children was identified by researchers working with tissue samples and mice. Their study, titled “Disrupted prenatal RNA processing and myogenesis in congenital myotonic dystrophy,” was published in the journal Genes and Development. Genes code for various proteins that…

A comprehensive 12-year genetic and clinical analysis of unrelated patients with congenital muscular dystrophies (CMDs) in the U.K. has confirmed MDC1A as the the most common CMD subtype, and identified 160 new mutations. The study, “Congenital muscular dystrophies in the UK population: Clinical and molecular spectrum of a large…

Experts provided an overview of the many approaches to counteract the loss of muscle mass, inflammation, fibrosis, calcium overload, oxidative stress, and ischemia (inadequate blood supply) in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), without actually targeting the cause, a mutation in the dystrophin gene. The review, “Pharmacological therapeutics targeting the secondary…

Interim results from the Phase 1/2 trial clinical trial investigating CAP-1002 as a treatment for heart disease associated with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) are being presented today at the 2017 Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD) Annual Connect Conference taking place in Chicago. Linda Marbán, president and CEO of Capricor Therapeutics, is talking about the company’s plans…