News

From candlelighting events to storytelling, efforts to mark Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month, observed each August, are underway to heighten awareness of the rare genetic disease and raise funds to fight it. Supporters are participating in a range of activities such as changing their social media profile photo,…

[Editor’s Note: This is part of a series of articles into the discovery and development of Evrysdi, SMA’s newly approved disease-modifying therapy and its first oral and at-home one, as well as the scope of SMA issues and treatments. Here, we talk with the chief of the…

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the postponement of a rare disease film festival originally slated for May, its organizers set out to find a new way to bring the films to an audience.  Co-founders Daniel DeFabio and Bo Bigelow, who are both fathers of children…

[Editor’s Note:  This is part of a series of articles into the discovery and development of Evrysdi, SMA’s newly approved disease-modifying therapy and its first oral and at-home one, as well as the scope of SMA issues and treatments. Here, we talk with scientists about how…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Evrysdi — formerly known as risdiplam — as the first oral and at-home treatment for adults, children, and infants 2 months of age and older with all types of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). With this action, Evrysdi — marketed by…

A clinical trial testing oral amifampridine phosphate in people with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 3 who are able to walk is fully enrolled, Catalyst Pharmaceuticals announced in a press release. Marketed under the brand name Firdapse, amifampridine phosphate is approved in the U.S. and the…

Cure SMA has launched a new program to offer medical alert bracelets to spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) patients in the United States at no cost to the patient, according to a press release. Patients with a confirmed diagnosis of SMA are eligible for the bracelet program…

A rare instance of a child with both spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and Farber disease, associated with two new mutations in the ASAH1 gene, is detailed in a case report. Its team suggested that Farber, a rare disorder caused by ASAH1 mutations, should be considered and tested for…

Combining Spinraza (nusinersen) with the gene therapy Zolgensma (onasemnogene abeparvovec-xioi) is generally well-tolerated and sustains motor improvements in children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 1, according to a case series study. The data, which included children treated with Zolgensma at older ages than those reported in clinical trials,…

A new panel of four safety biomarkers to assess acute drug-induced skeletal muscle injury in Phase 1 clinical trials has received a positive response from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The new biomarker panel is particularly important for companies developing therapies for patients with neuromuscular diseases, including…