FDA grants Orphan Drug designation to Milo Biotechnology's AAV1-FS344 inhibitor

Milo Biotechnology today announced its AAV1-FS344 has been granted Orphan Drug designation from the FDA's Office of Orphan Products Development for treatment of Becker and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. AAV1-FS344 is a gene therapy-delivered myostatin inhibitor that increases muscle strength.

The program is currently in a Phase I/II trial at Nationwide Children's Hospital in adult patients with Becker muscular dystrophy and inclusion body myositis, a trial funded by the foundation Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy. "The Orphan Drug designation will provide incentives for Milo Biotechnology's continued development of the therapy in rare muscular dystrophies with the greatest medical need," said CEO Al Hawkins. "We hope that our potent muscle strengthening approach will someday augment emerging genetic strategies to transform care for these intractable diseases."