News

New research has identified mechanisms by which Evrysdi (risdiplam), an approved spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) therapy, has more specific effects at its target gene than branaplam, a similar molecule that was investigated as a possible SMA treatment, but later discontinued. Both molecules modify a process called splicing in…

Scholar Rock remains on track to report topline results later this year from its ongoing Phase 3 clinical trial of apitegromab in children and young adults with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) types 2 or 3. Apitegromab is an antibody that targets myostatin, a protein involved in suppressing muscle…

The practice of vacuum swallowing, a maneuver involving effort that’s intended to aid the movement of food through the throat, helped a man with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) who had dysphagia, a swallowing impairment. “This is the first report of successful instruction and acquisition of vacuum swallowing in a…

Without treatment, most people with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) who have four copies of the “backup” SMN2 gene will start developing symptoms in early childhood, a study indicates. “The early onset of symptoms in our cohort, coupled with the expected wide clinical variability, strongly supports the characterization of SMA…

Implementing the global compassionate use program (CUP) that enabled more spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) patients to access Evrysdi (risdiplam) required close collaboration with patient advocacy groups and careful consideration of local regulations, according to a new report. Taking such steps was key in helping the CUP to reach…

Despite treatment with leuprorelin over three years, all spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) patients in a study in Korea continued to experience declines in motor function, a new study found. However, those individuals with less disability at the start of treatment experienced slower disease progression, “indicating a more…

Infants with suspected spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) who are directly referred to an SMA care center may experience shorter wait times than those referred to general neurology practices, according to a survey of these specialists deployed by Cure SMA. While both types of practices reported using triage methods…

In children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) who have a less-than-optimal response to the gene therapy Zolgensma (onasemnogene abeparvovec-xioi), subsequent treatment with Spinraza (nusinersen) can improve motor function and may reduce nerve damage. That’s according to interim data from the Phase 4 RESPOND study (NCT04488133),…

The one-time gene therapy Zolgensma (onasemnogene abeparvovec-xioi) didn’t cause any unexpected safety issues among children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) who weighed up to 21 kg (about 46 pounds) in a Phase 3b clinical trial, and most had stable or improved motor function a year after treatment. That’s…

Genetic alterations related to two genes, SMN2 and NAIP, could help to predict the severity of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), according to a recent analysis. Among patients with SMA type 1 and type 2 in Egypt, all of whom had standard disease-causing mutations in the SMN1 gene, fewer copies…