News

PhaseBio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading company in biopolymer-based drugs developing treatments to address metabolic and specific cardiopulmonary disorders, recently announced that a $40 million financing round led by AstraZeneca has been closed. This investment from AstraZeneca, Hatteras Venture Partners, New Enterprise Associates and Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC and Fletcher Spaght Ventures will serve…

Santhera Pharmaceuticals‘ Principal Investigator Gunnar M. Buyse will be presenting Phase III data on Idebenone (Raxone®/Catena®) for the treatment of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). Buyse’s oral presentation entitled, “Idebenone Reduces Loss of Respiratory Function in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy-Outcome…

Findings from a recent case report published online in the journal Respiratory Medicine Case Reports suggest that patients with Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) with nocturnal hypoventilation should have their diaphragm assessed, because nocturnal hypoventilation can be treated effectively by non-invasive ventilation. Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is an autosomal…

Israeli biotech company BioBlast Pharma Ltd. has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Investigational New Drug (IND) application and is now authorized to advance development of lead product Cabaletta. The chemical chaperone is expected to become a therapeutic option for the…

The Muscular Dystrophy Association’s president and CEO opened its 2015 Scientific Conference in Washington this week by underscoring the organization’s main focus to accelerate discoveries of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) treatments for the families they serve. Steven M. Derks stated in his keynote address that the MDA has an audacious five-year plan for…

Real estate franchiser ERA is launching the ERA MDA Summer Camp Challenge, a campaign in collaboration with the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) that will gather support from brokers and agents to help 1,000 children who suffer from muscular dystrophy. This year marks the fundraiser’s third year. The challenge, announced…

Biopharmaceutical company PTC Therapeutics, Inc. is not only developing a protein restoration therapy for the treatment of nonsense mutation Duchenne muscular dystrophy (nmDMD), but will also expand the drug’s current developmental trial to include siblings of the patients already enrolled in their open label PTC clinical trials. Translarna will be provided…