Author Archives: Marta Figueiredo PhD

Despite being mostly unaware of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), most Japanese parents support newborn screening for the disease, according to data from a small survey-based study. The most cited reasons behind this support included the importance of early diagnosis and the fact that treatments are available. These findings add…

Sensory nerves — those responsible for transmitting sensory information — are progressively damaged in children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 1 as these patients age, according to a small study in Italy. Importantly, major functional deficits in the sensory nerves of both the arms and the legs were…

Despite its high cost, giving the one-time gene therapy Zolgensma to an infant identified through newborn screening with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is cheaper in the long run than starting treatment with Spinraza (nusinersen) after symptom onset, according to a cost-effectiveness study in Australia. Combining newborn screening (NBS) and early…

Daily treatment with Evrysdi (risdiplam) following the one-time gene therapy Zolgensma (onasemnogene abeparvovec-xioi) is generally well-tolerated and leads to motor improvements in children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 1, according to a case series study. While children were followed for a short time after Evrysdi was…

Novartis is stopping the clinical development of branaplam (LMI070), its experimental oral treatment for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) being evaluated in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial. According to the company’s announcement, this “difficult” decision was based on the “rapid advancements in the SMA treatment landscape in recent years,”…

Two mutations in the VRK1 gene were found in two unrelated Hispanic adults, with symptoms suggestive of an atypical form of adult-onset spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), according to a case report. While VRK1 mutations are mainly associated with pediatric-onset neuromuscular conditions marked by brain abnormalities and cognitive problems, these new cases…

About one year of treatment with Spinraza (nusinersen) effectively prevents or reverses motor function decline in children and adults with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 3, according to real-world data from an international registry. Notably, when compared with an external group of untreated patients, who always showed negative changes in…

Treatment with human fat tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) may improve motor nerve cell health and survival in infants with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 1, according to data from a small Phase 1 clinical trial in Iran. Notably, the stem cell treatment appeared to have effectively slowed disease progression…

Newborn screening (NBS) for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in Massachusetts allowed for early detection and treatment of affected infants, with most referred to a specialist within the first week of life, three-year data from the state’s SMA screening program show. Notably, the program used a tiered algorithm with screenings that…

England’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) issued its final Zolgensma’s appraisal, recommending that the gene therapy be covered by the country’s national health service (NHS) and provided at low or no cost to eligible spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) patients. The positive recommendation is consistent with England NHS’…