Author Archives: Lindsey Shapiro PhD

Spinraza treatment improves motor function in older SMA patients

Treatment with Spinraza (nusinersen) generally stabilized or improved motor function for older patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), according to a review and meta-analysis of previously published observational studies. The new analysis, which spanned a treatment period of up to two years, involved adults and adolescents with…

Global metabolic disruption found in children with SMA in new study

Children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) exhibit widespread metabolic disruption — changes that affect the body’s metabolism — relative to children without SMA, according to a new Chinese study. Metabolic analyses of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord, indicated metabolic disruption across…

Double gene therapy leads to lasting benefits in SMA mouse model

A combination genetic therapy approach designed to restore more normal activity of the SMN1 gene improved motor function and prolonged survival in a spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) mouse model. Called Gene-DUET, it involves supplementing the body with additional healthy SMN1 genetic material, an approach similar to the approved gene therapy…