Muscular Atrophy News and Research

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Isis Pharmaceuticals reports pro forma net operating loss of $22.6 million for Q1 2014

Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today reported a pro forma net operating loss (NOL) of $22.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014 compared to pro forma operating income of $4.5 million for the same period in 2013.

6 May 2014

Astrocytes malfunction may contribute to neurodegenerative disorders

Scientists studying brain diseases may need to look beyond nerve cells and start paying attention to the star-shaped cells known as "astrocytes," because they play specialized roles in the development and maintenance of nerve circuits and may contribute to a wide range of disorders, according to a new study by UC San Francisco researchers.

29 Apr 2014

Positive results from pivotal clinical trial of Trophos’ olesoxime in SMA patients to be presented at AAN 2014

Trophos and AFM-Telethon today announce that data from the pivotal clinical trial of Trophos’ lead product candidate olesoxime in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) will be presented during the 66th American Academy of Neurology annual meeting to be held in Philadelphia, PA, USA, from April 26 to May 3 2014.

29 Apr 2014

New mouse study indicates that mutant protein in muscle cells is responsible for SBMA

Sometimes known as Kennedy's disease, spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) is a rare inherited neuromuscular disorder characterized by slowly progressive muscle weakness and atrophy.

17 Apr 2014

New way to make large concentrations of skeletal muscle cells from human stem cells

As stem cells continue their gradual transition from the lab to the clinic, a research group at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has discovered a new way to make large concentrations of skeletal muscle cells and muscle progenitors from human stem cells.

24 Mar 2014

Trophos' olesoxime shows beneficial effect on maintaining motor function in SMA patients

Trophos today announces that top-line results from a pivotal clinical trial of its lead product candidate olesoxime in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) show a beneficial effect on the maintenance of motor function in SMA patients. If approved, olesoxime could be the first treatment specifically developed for SMA patients.

10 Mar 2014

Plant pigment could prevent damage to nerves linked with childhood form of SMA

The research team have found that a plant pigment called quercetin - present in some fruits, vegetables, herbs and grains - could help to prevent damage to the nerves associated with the childhood form of motor neurone disease, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).

5 Mar 2014

Stem cells from patients offer model, drug-discovery platform for early-onset form of Alzheimer's

Harvard stem cell scientists have successfully converted skins cells from patients with early-onset Alzheimer's into the types of neurons that are affected by the disease, making it possible for the first time to study this leading form of dementia in living human cells. This may also make it possible to develop therapies far more quickly and accurately than before.

5 Mar 2014

Isis Pharmaceuticals provides update on ISIS-SMNRx Phase 2 study in infants with SMA

Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today provided an update on its ongoing open label, multiple dose Phase 2 study of ISIS-SMNRx in infants with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).

25 Feb 2014

FDA approves CSC’s Phase II clinical trial for cancer immunotherapy in women with ovarian cancer

California Stem Cell, Inc. (CSC) announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Company's application to begin a Phase II clinical trial exploring the potential of a patient-specific cancer immunotherapy in women with Stage III or IV ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer.

19 Feb 2014

New approach for reducing levels of toxic protein fragments associated with Huntington's disease

An innovative therapeutic strategy for reducing the levels of toxic protein fragments associated with Huntington's disease uses a new approach called exon skipping to remove the disease-causing component of the essential protein, huntingtin.

11 Feb 2014

Scientists receive new awards from CIRM to advance revolutionary stem cell science in medicine

Scientists from UCLA's Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research have received new awards from the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), the state stem cell research agency, that will forward revolutionary stem cell science in medicine.

30 Jan 2014

Joint research program in SMA enters initial stage of clinical development

PTC Therapeutics, Inc., the SMA Foundation, and Roche, announced today that their joint research program in Spinal Muscular Atrophy has entered the first stage of clinical development aiming to assess safety and tolerability of an oral compound in healthy volunteers.

22 Jan 2014

Combination of NGF microspheres and chitosan conduits exhibit better effects in repairing facial nerve injury

The chitosan molecule can promote nerve cell adherence and growth along the surface of the material. It can enhance the adherence and influx of Schwann cells, thus encouraging the growth of axons.

28 Dec 2013

NUS scientists open possible new route for treatment of spinal muscular atrophy

A recent study led by scientists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) opens a possible new route for treatment of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a devastating disease that is the most common genetic cause of infant death and also affects young adults.

18 Dec 2013

Tackling orphan diseases: an interview with Damian Marron, CEO, TxCell

The exact definition of orphan diseases varies depending on where you are in the world. In the EU it's defined as a prevalence of less than 1 in 2,000, which equates to about 250,000 patients across the EU.

4 Dec 2013

Principal investigators at Nationwide Children's Hospital elected as AAAS Fellows

Brian K. Kaspar, PhD, and Veronica J. Vieland, PhD, principal investigators in The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, have been named Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

26 Nov 2013

Trophos completes efficacy study of olesoxime in patients with Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Trophos SA, a clinical stage pharmaceutical company developing innovative therapeutics from discovery to clinical validation for indications with under-served needs in neurology and cardiology, has completed its efficacy study of olesoxime in the rare neurodegenerative condition Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

5 Nov 2013

Research Institute receives Fast Track status for its gene therapy product for treatment of SMA

AveXis and BioLife, synthetic biology platform companies, today announced that The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital received Fast Track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its scAAV9.CB.SMN gene therapy product for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).

19 Oct 2013

Quintiles and MDA partner to develop U.S. Neuromuscular Disease Registry

Quintiles and the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) today announced a new partnership to develop and implement the U.S. Neuromuscular Disease Registry, a patient registry that will play an important role in determining effective treatments for people with muscular dystrophy and related muscle diseases.

9 Oct 2013