News

FDA Extends Its Review of Potential DMD Therapy, Eteplirsen, into May

Sarepta Therapeutics, a developer of RNA-targeted treatments, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is extending by another three months its review of the company’s New Drug Application (NDA) for eteplirsen, a potential treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) amenable to exon 51 skipping. A reason for the extension was…

Special Bikes Going to Children in Tampa with Muscular Dystrophy, Down’s Syndrome

More than a dozen children in the Tampa, Florida area with muscular dystrophy, Down’s syndrome, and other neuromuscular disorders will soon be getting new and specially adapted bicycles donated by the ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine. The 17 young recipients are from the local chapter of the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) and …

New Gene Construct Holds Promise for Duchenne MD Patients

Advances in stem cell therapy using patients’ own cells with genetically modified dystrophin have been hampered by the large size of the dystrophin gene, which are difficult to pack into a delivery system. Now, scientists at University College London have managed to produce a gene construct much bigger than was…

Muscular Dystrophy Association Unveils Revitalized Brand, Names New Ambassador

Comedian and actor Jerry Lewis, the longtime Muscular Dystrophy Association national chairman and host of the organization’s former Labor Day Telethon, is returning from his retired role with the groundbreaking charity that revolutionized public philanthropic giving in America. Lewis helped introduce MDA’s revitalized brand on Jan. 29, when the Chicago-based charity…

In Duchenne MD Study, Akashi Suspends Trial for HALO HT-100

Akashi Therapeutics announced they are suspending both dosing and patient enrollment in the HALO trial – a study investigating their experimental therapy, HT-100, in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The trial’s suspension came after a patient enrolled in the highest dose-group of the study began experiencing life-threatening adverse effects. At this time,…