Monday, November 3, 2025

Solid Biosciences Reports Third Quarter 2025 Financial Results

CHARLESTOWN, MA, Nov. 03, 2025 FA

(SGT-212): Solid has activated the first clinical trial site and is currently screening participants for FALCON, a Phase 1b first-in-human clinical trial evaluating SGT-212 for the treatment of Friedreich’s ataxia. 

SGT-212 for Friedreich’s Ataxia (FA)

In October 2025, the Company activated the first clinical trial site and began participant screening for FALCON, a first-in-human, open-label, Phase 1b clinical trial of SGT-212. The trial is expected to enroll non-ambulatory and ambulatory adult participants living with FA in up to three cohorts and is designed to evaluate the safety and tolerability of systemic and bilateral intradentate nucleus (IDN) administration of SGT-212. SGT-212 is the first investigational gene therapy for FA to utilize a dual route of administration and is intended to promote restoration of therapeutic levels of the frataxin protein to address the neurologic, cardiac and systemic clinical manifestations of FA.

Early experience on omaveloxolone in adult patients with Friedreich's ataxia: a real-world observational study

Lima SM, Caltagirone M, Messina C, Quartetti U, Rini N, D'Amico F, Brighina F, Di Stefano V. Early experience on omaveloxolone in adult patients with Friedreich's ataxia: a real-world observational study. J Neurol. 2025 Nov 1;272(11):742. doi: 10.1007/s00415-025-13487-1. PMID: 41176519. 

 Omaveloxolone seems to be safe and well-tolerated in adult FRDA patients in the real-life setting. No significant worsening of symptoms was observed with no signs of progression, as well as the improvement of inflammatory biomarkers after 24 weeks of treatment, but no predictive factors for the disease response have been identified. However, the short duration, and the small sample size limit the generalizability of the results. Further studies with longer observation are needed to clearly define the efficacy of omaveloxolone in FRDA.

Sunday, November 2, 2025

Friedreich ataxia:

Subramony SH, Lynch DR. Friedreich Ataxia. Pediatr Neurol. 2025 Nov 1;174:148-154. doi: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2025.10.020. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41252802.

With the introduction of potential new therapy for Friedreich ataxia (FRDA), the disorder has taken on a new importance in the world of pediatric neurology. Originally described more than 150 years ago, large scale clinical studies have defined diagnostic criteria and the underlying mutation as a biallelic, unstable expansion of an intronic GAA repeat in chromosome 9. In this review, we summarize the clinical features, routine management, pathophysiology, and emerging therapies for this devastating disease. The recent approval of omaveloxolone makes recognition of FRDA and its treatment essential for all pediatric neurologists.

Wednesday, October 29, 2025

Drivers of managed entry agreements to reduce reimbursement challenges of orphan medicinal products: the development of a matrix

Callenbach, M.H.E., van den Berg, S., Hulsbosch, A. et al. Drivers of managed entry agreements to reduce reimbursement challenges of orphan medicinal products: the development of a matrix. Orphanet J Rare Dis 20, 540 (2025). doi:10.1186/s13023-025-04020-8 

"New orphan medicinal products (OMPs) are increasingly expensive and approved with limited clinical evidence". 
The matrix provides a systematic approach applied to mitigate clinical and cost-effectiveness uncertainties and/or reimbursement challenges specific to OMPs through advising MEAs. This study highlights the diversity in the drivers of MEAs to reduce risk and reimbursement challenges specific to OMPs and underscores the relevance of considering both established and innovative MEAs to address these.

Saturday, October 25, 2025

Positron emission tomography reveals increased myocardial glucose uptake in a subset of Friedreich ataxia patients

Payne, R.M., O’Connell, T.M., Pride, P.M. et al. Positron emission tomography reveals increased myocardial glucose uptake in a subset of Friedreich ataxia patients. Sci Rep 15, 37247 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-21330-w 

 In this cohort of FRDA patients, a PET scan identified two metabolically distinct subclasses of FRDA cardiomyopathy. FRDA patients with severe LVH had greater FDG uptake relative to palmitate utilization than FRDA patients without severe LVH. FRDA patients with severe LVH have systolic and diastolic dysfunction, as well as ongoing cardiac damage as indicated by cTnI leak. These findings suggest that FRDA patients with significant LVH may be at increased risk of complications from surgery or major illness.

Development of an AAV-Based Gene Therapy for the Ocular Phenotype of Friedreich’s Ataxia

Tang H, Gupte S, Xu E, Calabro KR, Friend H, Crosson SM, Fajardo D,Kostamo Z, Zhang H, Peterson JJ, Lin F, Kozmik Z, Lutz CM, Boye SL, Boye SE, Development of an AAV-Based Gene Therapy for the Ocular Phenotype of Friedreich’s Ataxia, Molecular Therapy (2025), doi:10.1016/j.ymthe.2025.10.048.

Gene supplementation via intravitreal injection of a novel AAV2-based capsid carrying FXN partially preserved retinal structure and/or function in both models, establishing proof-of-concept for this therapeutic strategy.

Friday, October 24, 2025

Neuropsychiatric challenges of Friedreich ataxia in a patient residing in a long-term care facility

Wong J, Kwok J, Kim K. Neuropsychiatric challenges of Friedreich ataxia in a patient residing in a long-term care facility. Prim Care Companion CNS Disord 2025;27(5):25cr03965. doi:10.4088/PCC.25cr03965 

 The neuropsychiatric manifestations of FA are often under-recognized despite their significant impact on patient care and quality of life. This case underscores the necessity for comprehensive management strategies that address both the neurological and behavioral aspects of FA. This patient residing in a long-term care facility exhibited chronic depression and significant behavioral challenges including refusal of food, medications, and nursing care, alongside physical aggression. Despite initial treatment with citalopram, behavioral symptoms persisted while the neurovegetative signs of depression improved. As the escalation of the patient’s behavioral symptoms marked a critical turning point, divalproex ER was introduced and titrated to manage his mood instability. Subsequently, the patient’s mood and behavior symptoms noticeably improved without worsening motor dysfunction, highlighting the importance of personalized psychopharmacologic interventions.

Thursday, October 23, 2025

Jupiter Neurosciences, Inc. strategic partnership with Zina Biopharmaceutica

October 22, 2025. The company develops JNS101, which is in Phase II trial for the treatment of Friedreich's Ataxia, a rare inherited disease that causes damage to the nervous system, as well as mobility dysfunctions; and JNS108 that is in Phase II trial for treating mild cognitive impairment/early Alzheimer’s disease. It is also involved in the development of JNS102, which is in Phase II trial for the treatment of mucopolysaccharidosis type 1; and JNS107 that is in Phase II trial for treating mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes syndrome. In addition, the company develops JNS115, which is in Phase IIa trial for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. It has a strategic partnership with Zina Biopharmaceuticals, LLC to advance Phase 2a clinical trial to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of Resveratrol (JOTROLTM) in individuals with Parkinson’s disease; and with Aquanova AG to develop a series of consumer-focused nutritional products targeting longevity, aging, and healthspan. The company was formerly known as Jupiter Orphan Therapeutics, Inc. and changed its name to Jupiter Neurosciences, Inc. in August 2021. Jupiter Neurosciences, Inc. was incorporated in 2016 and is headquartered in Jupiter, Florida.

Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Exploring the pleiotropic effects of lncRNA in different repeat expansion disorders

Soumalya Das, Shubhi Khandelwal, Sakshi Shukla, Amit Kumar, Exploring the pleiotropic effects of lncRNA in different repeat expansion disorders, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular Basis of Disease, 2025, 168089, ISSN 0925-4439, doi:10.1016/j.bbadis.2025.168089.



Monday, October 20, 2025

A Probabilistic Deep Ensemble Framework for the Objective Assessment of Friedreich Ataxia

Maneesha Randeniya, Kanishka Ranaweera, Thang Ngo, et al. A Probabilistic Deep Ensemble Framework for the Objective Assessment of Friedreich Ataxia. TechRxiv. October 16, 2025. DOI: 10.36227/techrxiv.176062677.75204670/v1

There was strong agreement between the proposed ensemble and clinical mFARS scores, reflected in a Pearson correlation of 0.81, Spearman's correlation of 0.76, R² of 0.46, RMSE of 10.30, and MAE of 8.79 on the unseen test set. Uncertainty was systematically evaluated using Uncertainty Characteristics Curves (UCC), where the ensemble achieved an Area Under UCC (AUUCC) of 8.83.