News

Leaders in the U.S. rare disease community came together recently for a webinar to present helpful information on how to start a nonprofit and patient registry. They shared about how their respective organizations came to be, as well as the benefits of creating patient registries and how they can help…

The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) announced last week it had selected former MDA vice chairman of the board Donald Wood, PhD, as the new president and CEO of the organization, taking over from Lynn O’Connor Vos. Wood most recently was the vice president of institutional…

The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) and DNAnexus have introduced a digital platform to improve patient care and accelerate treatment discovery for muscular dystrophy and other neuromuscular disorders. The neuroMuscular ObserVational Research (MOVR) Visualization and Reporting Platform (VRP) provides easy-to-use tools for in-depth analysis of large neuromuscular patient…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given rare pediatric disease status to AMO Pharma‘s investigational therapy AMO-02 (tideglusib), now entering clinical testing in children and adolescents with congenital myotonic dystrophy type 1 (CDM1), also known as Steinert disease. “This Rare Pediatric Disease designation highlights the significant…

Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical and Solid Biosciences announced a strategic collaboration to develop and commercialize new gene therapies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The collaboration will combine Solid’s gene therapy construct for DMD and Ultragenyx’s cell…

The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)’s RareLaunch training program will host two days of free virtual workshops in December, with the aim of empowering leaders to start non-profit organizations and research programs to help people with rare diseases. “The RareLaunch program is central to NORD’s mission and history — community…

Catabasis Pharmaceuticals’ investigational oral therapy edasalonexent failed to preserve muscle function and overall functionality in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), top-line data from the PolarisDMD Phase 3 clinical trial show. “We are deeply saddened and disappointed by the results of our Phase 3 PolarisDMD trial,” Jill C.

Long-term corticosteroid treatment delays respiratory decline and heart disease in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) regardless of daily or intermittent use, a real-world study reported. The study, “Cardiorespiratory Progression Over 5 Years and Role of Corticosteroids in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: A Single-Site…