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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…
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…
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended that Roche’s Evrysdi (risdiplam) be covered by England’s national health service (NHS) and provided at low or no cost to eligible spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) patients as part of a managed access agreement. The current recommendation and its…
Spinraza (nusinersen) improved fine manual dexterity — the ability to make coordinated finger movements to grasp and manipulate objects — in both hands of five children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 2 over 1.5 years of treatment, a case series study showed. This study “is the first…
Cervical, or neck, range of motion is important for many different reasons. A major reason it is needed has to do with safety with scanning the environment during functional activities. Due to scoliosis, Michael has had most of his thoracic and lumbar spine fused, which has limited his range…
Delayed Spinraza (nusinersen) treatment due to the COVID-19 pandemic did not directly result in a worsening of symptoms in children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a small study suggests. Any worse motor function that occurred during this period was attributed to a lack of response to the therapy…
Genetic analysis of dried saliva spots identified people with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a study demonstrated and possibly for the first time. The scientists noted that this noninvasive and low-cost, alternate method of genetic screening may be suitable for programs held in schools or workplaces without the need for…
Not having Spinraza (nusinersen) therapy as prescribed — called treatment non-adherence by clinicians — increased the frequency of co-existing diseases, required greater use of healthcare resources, and raised overall costs for patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in the U.S. and their families, retrospective research into claims data for…
The COVID-19 pandemic led to delays in treatment with Spinraza (nusinersen) for many children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). However, these delays seem to have a lower impact on children’s functional skills when compared with family support, according to a small study in Italy. The study, “…
Scholar Rock is on track to initiate a pivotal Phase 3 trial of apitegromab in non-ambulatory patients with type 2 and type 3 spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) by the end of 2021, according to a company press release. The planned randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial will focus on people…
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