Marisa Wexler, MS,  senior science writer—

Verana Health has launched a service called Neurology Qdata, which contains disease-specific datasets to help facilitate neuroscience research and develop novel treatment strategies. The new resource was announced recently at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) in Seattle, Washington. The first module to launch, called…

In children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) who begin treatment with Spinraza (nusinersen) after they are 2 months old, levels of a protein called cathepsin D in the fluid around the brain decline over time. This decline tends to be more pronounced in those who respond better to…

A newborn screening program for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in Latvia can diagnose babies within two weeks of birth, according to a new study. The study, “New-Born Screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy: Results of a Latvian Pilot Study,” was published in the International Journal of Neonatal…

Most of the children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) who received the gene therapy Zolgensma (onasemnogene abeparvovec) in their first weeks of life are able to walk independently within developmentally normal age ranges, according to new research from the SPR1NT clinical trial. The findings were presented at this year’s…

In the RAINBOWFISH trial testing oral Evrysdi (risdiplam) in babies with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) but no evident symptoms, most of the seven children treated for at least one year were able to stand and walk within developmentally normal windows. These new data were presented at the Muscular Dystrophy Association…

Even when given to young children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at ages older than 6 months, the gene therapy Zolgensma (onasemnogene abeparvovec) can improve motor function, an analysis of real-world data show. Indeed, more than 70% of babies treated between 6 and 24 months had better scores…

Treatment with Evrysdi (risdiplam) continues to be safe and well tolerated in people with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) who have previously received other therapies for SMA, according to one-year data from the JEWELFISH clinical trial. Results also suggest that motor function has been stable in JEWELFISH participants after a…

Children and young adults with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) types 2 and 3 continue to report improved or stabilized motor function after three years of treatment with oral Evrysdi (risdiplam) in the SUNFISH clinical trial. “The positive long-term efficacy and safety results for Evrysdi in this broad SMA population…

Most children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) who were presymptomatic and treated with Spinraza (nusinersen) in the NURTURE clinical trial are hitting major motor milestones within developmentally normal windows, new data show. “It’s only getting better. It’s spectacular,” Thomas Crawford, MD, from Johns Hopkins Medical Institute, said in…

Babies born in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan will now be tested for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) as part of routine newborn screening. SMA is one of four medical conditions that have been added to the screening program administered to newly born infants by the Saskatchewan Health Authority. “Our…