Researchers from Lleida make advances to propose new therapies in the treatment of Friedreich's ataxia

Communication and Press IRBLleida, February 28, the World Day of Minority Diseases.

The Oxidative Stress Biochemical Research Group, of the University of Lleida (UdL) and the Biomedical Research Institute of Lleida (IRBLleida), is carrying out two projects to better understand Friedreich's ataxia - which is caused by the deficiency of Frataxin, a mitochondrial protein.
The Oxidative Stress Biochemical Research Group investigates this minority disease since 2005. In 2011, it obtained a research project from the La Marató Foundation of TV3 (led by Jordi Tamarit); In addition to the projects named above, it also has support from Ataxia UK, the United Kingdom, co-funded by the Association of Catalan Ataxias (ACAH) and a project of the Ministry -Retos- called "Targeting mitochondria in Friedreich ataxia: molecular mechanisms and therapeutic approaches ". The results of the previous projects have provided new data on the mitochondrial alterations that occur due to frataxin deficit. Therefore, in these projects, the proposed objectives seek to find answers to know which are the mechanisms that explain the neurocardiodegenerative effects of frataxin deficiency and what is the capacity of some compounds to reverse these alterations and that can be proposed as treatments of the Friedreich ataxia.

C-Path, FARA launch Friedreich's Ataxia Clinical Database for Development of Treatments

EurekAlert, PUBLIC RELEASE: 27-FEB-2019, Ariz. and DOWNINGTOWN, Penn., February 27, 2019 -- Critical Path Institute's (C-Path) Data Collaboration Center (DCC) and the Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA) today announced the launch of the Friedreich's Ataxia Integrated Clinical Database (FAICD). The new platform will enable collaborative research and data sharing to support the understanding of natural history, potential biomarkers and clinical endpoints, and promote research into novel clinical trial design in Friedreich's ataxia (FA). By making this data available to researchers, the organizations hope to enable the development of tools that will help design and interpret efficient clinical trials -- leading to effective treatments for FA as soon as possible.