Muscular Atrophy News and Research

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'Housekeeping' gene may have a link to male infertility

Researchers at Iowa State University have found evidence that a "housekeeping" gene present in every cell of the body may have a link to male infertility.

3 Feb 2016

Alternative splicing: a new approach to drug development? An interview with Lucy Donaldson

RNA is becoming an interesting drug target as it takes possible intervention back one step to the synthesis of a target protein, instead of trying to block or inhibit a process.

1 Feb 2016

FDA grants Orphan Drug Designation to Ionis Pharmaceuticals' IONIS-HTT Rx for treatment of HD patients

Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Orphan Drug Designation to IONIS-HTTRx for the treatment of patients with Huntington's disease (HD).

5 Jan 2016

Biogen begins ISIS-SOD1 Rx Phase 1/2 clinical study in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that its partner, Biogen, has initiated a Phase 1/2 clinical study of ISIS-SOD1 Rx (BIIB067) in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

11 Dec 2015

UF Health investigators make new discovery about Huntington's disease

University of Florida Health researchers have made a new discovery about Huntington's disease, showing that the gene that causes the fatal disorder makes an unexpected "cocktail" of mutant proteins that accumulate in the brain.

19 Nov 2015

MedUni Vienna researchers discover genetic cause of a rare disease

Researchers at MedUni Vienna have discovered the genetic cause of a rare disease characterized by life-threatening "liver crises" in early childhood and subsequent manifestation of neurological symptoms, such as neuropathy and ataxia (a movement disorder), when they reach school age.

15 Nov 2015

Isis Pharmaceuticals begins ISIS-FXI Rx Phase 2 study in patients with ESRD on hemodialysis

Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced the initiation of a Phase 2 study evaluating ISIS-FXIRx in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis. In May 2015, Isis entered into an exclusive license agreement with Bayer HealthCare (Bayer) to develop and commercialize ISIS-FXIRx for the prevention of clotting disorders.

30 Oct 2015

Genetic carrier screening: an interview with Don Hardison, CEO of Good Start Genetics

Carrier screening provides you and your doctor with information about your risks of having a child with a serious genetic disease prior to or during pregnancy.

6 Oct 2015

Clinical data from spinal muscular atrophy program presented at 20th International WMS Congress

PTC Therapeutics, Inc., today announced that clinical data from the company's joint development program with Roche and the SMA Foundation in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) were presented at the 20th International Congress of the World Muscle Society (WMS) in Brighton, U.K.

5 Oct 2015

HSCI researchers find surprising similarities between SMA and ALS

Harvard Stem Cell Institute researchers studying spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) have found what they term "surprising similarities" between this childhood disorder that attacks motor neurons and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

25 Sep 2015

Long-term disease progression in spinocerebellar ataxia quantified

Researchers have quantified the progression of the most common spinocerebellar ataxias over a follow-up period of up to 8 years in steps to improve sample size calculations for future interventional trials.

16 Sep 2015

Special issue of Future Science OA highlights research on protein misfolding diseases

Future Science Group today announced the publication of a special issue in Future Science OA, covering the rapidly evolving field of protein misfolding diseases.

28 Aug 2015

Determining the dynein-dynactin complex structure: an interview with Dr Gabriel C. Lander

This is a macromolecular assembly is made up of two components, dynein and dynactin, that works to move molecular cargo (organelles, RNA, vesicles, proteins, viruses) along microtubule highways within our cells.

16 Aug 2015

Researchers report role of two gene-regulating molecules in Parkinson's disease

As Parkinson's disease progresses in patients, a puzzling dichotomy plays out in their brains. One set of neurons degenerates, while a similar population nearby is spared the same degree of damage. Why the difference? An answer to this question could clear the way for preventions and treatments for this disease, which impairs movement.

11 Aug 2015

Isis Pharmaceuticals, AstraZeneca to develop antisense therapies for cardiovascular, metabolic, renal diseases

AstraZeneca and Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced a strategic collaboration to discover and develop antisense therapies for cardiovascular, metabolic and renal diseases.

3 Aug 2015

NEJM publishes positive clinical results from Phase 2 clinical study of volanesorsen

Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the leader in RNA-targeted therapeutics, and Akcea Therapeutics, its wholly owned subsidiary, announced today that The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) has published positive clinical results from a Phase 2 clinical study evaluating volanesorsen (formerly ISIS-APOCIII Rx) in patients with very high to severely high triglycerides.

30 Jul 2015

Researchers use gene-editing technique involving low-dose irradiation to repair human stem cells

For the first time, researchers have employed a gene-editing technique involving low-dose irradiation to repair patient cells, according to a study published in the journal Stem Cells Translational Medicine. This method, developed by researchers in the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, is 10 times more effective than techniques currently in use.

23 Jul 2015

Isis Pharmaceuticals receives $2.15 million milestone payment to advance ISIS-SMN Rx study in children with SMA

Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it has earned a $2.15 million milestone payment from Biogen related to advancing the ongoing pivotal Phase 3 study (CHERISH) evaluating ISIS-SMN Rx in children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).

14 Jul 2015

Akcea Therapeutics obtains FDA Orphan Drug Designation for volanesorsen

Akcea Therapeutics, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Orphan Drug Designation to volanesorsen (ISIS-APOCIIIRx) for the treatment of patients with Familial Chylomicronemia Syndrome (FCS).

6 Jul 2015

Researchers use pioneering stem cell techniques to better understand causes of Spinal Muscular Atrophy

New research from the Advanced Gene and Cell Therapy Lab at Royal Holloway, University of London has used pioneering stem cell techniques to better understand why certain cells are more at risk of degenerating in Spinal Muscular Atrophy than others.

1 Jul 2015