News

Zolgensma gene therapy for SMA now routinely accessible in UK

The one-time gene therapy Zolgensma (onasemnogene abeparvovec) will now be routinely accessible at low or no cost to presymptomatic infants in England who are genetically predisposed to spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Per updated recommendations from the country’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), this includes…

Avenue acquires rights to AJ201 for SBMA in certain countries

Avenue Therapeutics has won the exclusive rights to develop and commercialize AJ201, AnnJi Pharmaceutical’s experimental treatment for spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), in certain regions of the globe under the terms of a new licensing agreement. Specifically, the agreement lists the U.S., Canada, the European Union,…

Real-world evidence needed for new work in SMA, other disorders

TREAT-NMD and Aetion have formed a partnership to deliver real-world evidence and promote the development of new treatments for people with rare neuromuscular diseases, including spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). The projects will combine the expertise of the TREAT-NMD global registry network, which collects de-identified data from patients…

Ambulatory SMA patients on Spinraza show walking gains

More than 1 in 4 ambulatory spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) patients experienced clinically meaningful improvements in walking ability after being treated with Spinraza (nusinersen), according to an analysis of real-world findings in Europe. “Our data demonstrate a positive effect of [Spinraza] treatment on motor function in ambulant pediatric and…

Surgery a success for 23-day-old SMA type 2 girl with heart defects

A 23-day-old girl with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 2, later treated with Spinraza (nusinersen), underwent successful surgical repair of heart defects, according to a new case report. The researchers noted that individuals with SMA may be perceived as risky surgical candidates, considering the poor prognosis for untreated…