News

Wheelchair Hockey Linked to Physical, Psychological Gains in Men

Playing wheelchair hockey is associated with better psychological well-being, self-perception of physical abilities, and quality of life in men with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a small study in Italy shows. These findings add to some previous studies reporting the health benefits of adaptive sports…

Team Behind Evrysdi Win 2 Prestigious ‘Drug Discovery’ Awards

The team of researchers who discovered and developed Evrysdi (risdiplam) — the first at-home oral therapy for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) — was selected as the winner of two prestigious treatment discovery awards. These are the Society for Medicines Research (SMR)’s 2021 Award for Drug Discovery and the British Pharmacological…

Spinraza May Restore Development of Motor Neurons in SMA Children

Spinraza (nusinersen) may restore the normal development of motor neurons — the nerve cells responsible for making muscle cells work — in children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), particularly those who start treatment early, a study found. Besides getting motor neurons back onto their developmental trajectory, Spinraza also may slow their…

Funding Bolsters Effort to Bring Newborn Screening to Eastern Canada

A CA$414,000 grant was awarded to the Maritimes by Muscular Dystrophy Canada (MDC) and Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada to further support the implementation of newborn screening for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). The funding (about $322,600), received by the Maritime Newborn Screening Program (MNSP), will go toward work to…

Real Life Inspires Son With SMA on ‘Ordinary Joe’ TV Show

One of NBC’s newest TV shows, “Ordinary Joe,” is making a mark in the spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) community for including a character with the disease. The drama series follows protagonist Joe Kimbreau, played by James Wolk, through three separate realities stemming from a single decision he made…