Muscular Atrophy News and Research

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Growth factor boosts natural defence against auto-immune diseases

Our immune system defends us from harmful bacteria and viruses, but, if left unchecked, the cells that destroy those invaders can turn on the body itself, causing auto-immune diseases like type-1 diabetes or multiple sclerosis. A molecule called insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) boosts the body's natural defence against this 'friendly fire', scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Monterotondo, Italy, have found.

25 Oct 2014

Isis Pharmaceuticals provides update on Phase 2 clinical studies of ISIS-SMN Rx in children with SMA

Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today provided an update on its ongoing open-label Phase 2 clinical studies of ISIS-SMN Rx in infants and children with spinal muscular atrophy at the 19th International World Muscle Society (WMS) Congress in Berlin, Germany.

10 Oct 2014

Cedars-Sinai to participate in a consortium studying motor neuron disorders

Investigators at the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute have received a grant from the National Institutes of Health to participate in a consortium taking the study of motor neuron disorders - such as Lou Gehrig's disease and spinal muscular atrophy - to a new, comprehensive perspective.

26 Sep 2014

MU researchers make new breakthrough in spinal muscular atrophy drug

According to recent studies, approximately one out of every 40 individuals in the United States is a carrier of the gene responsible for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a neurodegenerative disease that causes muscles to weaken over time.

16 Sep 2014

Six research institutions awarded NIH grants to create database of human cellular responses

Building on a successful three-year pilot project, the National Institutes of Health has awarded more than $64 million to six research institutions to create a database of human cellular responses, the Library of Integrated Network-based Cellular Signatures.

15 Sep 2014

Scientists identify mechanism by which inherited neurological disease causes muscle weakness in men

Researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have identified the mechanism by which a rare, inherited neurodegenerative disease causes often crippling muscle weakness in men, in addition to reduced fertility.

11 Aug 2014

Splice-switching oligonucleotide drugs alter editing of gene transcript

In splice-switching, an innovative therapeutic approach, targeted oligonucleotide drugs alter the editing of a gene transcript to produce the desired form of a protein.

18 Jul 2014

Isis Pharmaceuticals begins ISIS-DMPK Rx Phase 1 study for treatment of Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1

Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it has initiated a Phase 1 study for ISIS-DMPKRx. Isis earned a $14 million milestone payment from Biogen Idec associated with this achievement.

9 Jun 2014

Study: Sufficient copies of SMN1 gene extend survival in animals with spinal muscular atrophy

To make up for insufficient amounts of SMN protein, the cause of the inherited neuromuscular disease spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), researchers have successfully delivered a replacement SMN1 gene directly to the spinal cords of animal models of SMA.

23 May 2014

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