Sunday, March 16, 2025

A Study to Learn More About the Long-Term Safety of BIIB141 (Omaveloxolone) in Participants With Friedreich's Ataxia Who Are Prescribed it for the First Time

ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT06623890.  Last Update Posted 2025-03-04
In this study, researchers will learn more about the safety of BIIB141, also known as omaveloxolone or SKYCLARYS®. This is a drug available for doctors to prescribe for people with Friedreich's Ataxia, also known as FA. This is known as an "observational" study, which collects health information about study participants without changing their medical care. Participants for this study will be found using a group called the Friedreich's Ataxia Global Clinical Consortium (FA GCC). This is a group of study research centers that help provide clinical care for people with FA.
The primary objective of this study is to assess the long-term safety of omaveloxolone as prescribed to participants with FA in the real-world setting, including characterization of all drug-induced liver injury (DILI) and congestive heart failure (CHF) AEs. The secondary objective of this study is to capture the reasons and timing of omaveloxolone treatment interruptions, discontinuations, and drug overdose.

Design Therapeutics Highlights Progress Across Lead GeneTAC® Programs and Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Financial Results

CARLSBAD, Calif., March 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Design Therapeutics, Inc.. Friedreich Ataxia (FA) Design has initiated dosing in a Phase 1 clinical trial in healthy volunteers in Australia to evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetics (PK) of single ascending doses of DT-216P2 via multiple routes of administration (intravenous infusion, subcutaneous infusion and subcutaneous injection). A Phase 1/2 multiple ascending dose (MAD) clinical trial to assess safety, PK and pharmacodynamics (PD) in FA patients is anticipated to begin in mid-2025. Data based on twelve weeks of DT-216P2 dosing in patients is anticipated in 2026.

Autosomal Recessive Ataxias in Northeast Brazil: A Regional Multicenter Case Series

Camelo-Filho, A.E., da Rosa, R.F., Lima, P.L.G.S.B. et al. Autosomal Recessive Ataxias in Northeast Brazil: A Regional Multicenter Case Series. Cerebellum 24, 59 (2025). Doi:10.1007/s12311-025-01814-1

Patients underwent clinical evaluations, including neurological examinations and functional assessments. Results: Friedreich’s ataxia (FRDA) was the most prevalent diagnosis, accounting for 12 cases (21%), followed by Ataxia-Telangiectasia (A-T) with (N = 9; 15.8%) and Niemann-Pick Disease Type C (NPC) (N = 9; 15.8%). Metabolic disorders, including Cerebrotendinous Xanthomatosis (N = 6;10.5%) were also common causes.

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Design Therapeutics Highlights Progress Across Lead GeneTAC® Programs

CARLSBAD, Calif., March 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Design Therapeutics, Inc. today announced progress across its portfolio of GeneTAC® candidates and reported fourth quarter and full year 2024 financial results.
Friedreich Ataxia (FA) Design has initiated dosing in a Phase 1 clinical trial in healthy volunteers in Australia to evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetics (PK) of single ascending doses of DT-216P2 via multiple routes of administration (intravenous infusion, subcutaneous infusion and subcutaneous injection). A Phase 1/2 multiple ascending dose (MAD) clinical trial to assess safety, PK and pharmacodynamics (PD) in FA patients is anticipated to begin in mid-2025. Data based on twelve weeks of DT-216P2 dosing in patients is anticipated in 2026.

Monday, March 10, 2025

FDA Action Update, February 2025: Approvals, Designations, and Acceptances

NeurologyLive. March 9, 2025. The FDA was busy in March 2025, making a number of decisions on potential new therapeutic agents including granting approvals, acceptances, and designations.
- Solid Biosciences' SGT-212 gene therapy for Friedreich ataxia received FDA clearance, targeting neurologic and systemic manifestations via dual administration routes. 
-On the same day, February 19, the FDA accepted PTC Therapeutics’ new drug application (NDA) for its investigational agent vatiquinone as a treatment for patients with Friedreich ataxia (FA)

Sunday, March 9, 2025

Robust behavioral assessment of the inducible Friedreich's ataxia mouse does not show improvement with NRF2 induction

Claire B. Montgomery, Lili Salinas, Garrett P. Cox, Lauren E. Adcock, Tiffany Chang, Francisco Figueroa, Gino Cortopassi, Elena N. Dedkova; Robust behavioral assessment of the inducible Friedreich's ataxia mouse does not show improvement with NRF2 induction. Dis Model Mech 2025; dmm.052128. doi: https://doi.org/10.1242/dmm.052128

 We developed a novel Salinas-Montgomery Ataxia Scale (SMAS) which allows for more comprehensive assessment versus a 4-part cerebellar ataxia scale. Despite validating multiple sensitive techniques, we did not see any benefits of NRF2-inducing therapies in any tests. This was exacerbated by the discovery of a sexual dimorphism in FXNKD mice, in which males show a more significant decline and better responsiveness to NRF2-inducing therapeutics.

Friday, March 7, 2025

Solid Biosciences Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Financial Results and Provides Business Updates

CHARLESTOWN, Mass., March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Solid Biosciences Inc. SGT-212 for Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) As announced on January 7, 2025, the FDA has cleared the IND for SGT-212 for the treatment of FA. SGT-212 is the first gene therapy candidate to utilize a dual route of administration to treat FA. The Company expects to initiate a first-in-human, open-label, Phase 1b clinical trial of SGT-212 in the second half of 2025. The trial is expected to enroll non-ambulatory and ambulatory adult participants living with FA across up to three cohorts and is designed to evaluate the safety and tolerability of concurrent systemic and bilateral IDN administration of SGT-212.


Tuesday, March 4, 2025

Gait Characteristics in People with Friedreich Ataxia: Daily Life versus Clinic Measures

Hannah L. Casey • Vrutangkumar V. Shah • Daniel Muzyka • James McNames • Mahmoud El-Gohary • Kristen Sowalsky • Delaram Safarpour • Patricia (Patty) Carlson-Kuhta • Christian Rummey • Fay B. Horak • Christopher M. Gomez, Front. Neurol. Sec. Movement Disorders, Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fneur.2025.1544453 

Digital gait characteristics from inertial sensors are sensitive and specific for FRDA in both environments. However, different gait measures were more sensitive and specific during free-living versus prescribed gait, suggesting that in-clinic gait does not reflect daily life gait.

A global perspective on research advances and future challenges in Friedreich ataxia

Indelicato, E., Delatycki, M.B., Farmer, J. et al. A global perspective on research advances and future challenges in Friedreich ataxia. Nat Rev Neurol (2025). doi:10.1038/s41582-025-01065-y

Monday, February 24, 2025

Nrf2 activators for the treatment of rare iron overload diseases: From bench to bedside

Dong Y, Zheng M, Ding W, Guan H, Xiao J, Li F. Nrf2 activators for the treatment of rare iron overload diseases: From bench to bedside. Redox Biol. 2025 Feb 14;81:103551. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2025.103551. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39965404.

 Despite these uses, the therapeutic potentials of Nrf2 activators for iron overload disorders may be overlooked in clinical practice. Therefore, this study talks about the potential use, possible mechanisms, and precautions of Nrf2 activators in treating rare iron overload diseases.