Saturday, August 22, 2020

Atypical structures of GAA/TTC trinucleotide repeats underlying Friedreich’s ataxia: DNA triplexes and RNA/DNA hybrids

Jiahui Zhang, Ashkan Fakharzadeh, Feng Pan, Christopher Roland, Celeste Sagui; Nucleic Acids Research, gkaa665, doi:10.1093/nar/gkaa665

The authors intended the study to provide a ‘rationale for the discovery and characterization of the non-B DNA regulatory structures involved in the formation of the RNA:DNA interactome’. However, experimental data with molecular resolution for these non-B DNA structures is noticeably scarce. We believe that structural studies such as ours can meaningfully contribute in the creation of such a roadmap.


Friday, August 21, 2020

Clinical presentation and survival of childhood hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: a retrospective study in United Kingdom

Gabrielle Norrish, Ella Field, Karen Mcleod, Maria Ilina, Graham Stuart, Vinay Bhole, Orhan Uzun, Elspeth Brown, Piers E F Daubeney, Amrit Lota, Katie Linter, Sujeev Mathur, Tara Bharucha, Khoon Li Kok, Satish Adwani, Caroline B Jones, Zdenka Reinhardt, Juan Pablo Kaski; European Heart Journal, Volume 40, Issue 12, 21 March 2019, Pages 986–993, doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehy798

This study describes the clinical characteristics and outcomes of childhood HCM over four decades in a well-characterized United Kingdom cohort.
Aetiology was: non-syndromic (n = 433, 63%), RASopathy (n = 126, 18.3%), Friedreich’s ataxia (n = 59, 8.6%) or inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) (n = 64, 9%). In infants (n = 159, 23%) underlying aetiology was more commonly a RASopathy (42% vs. 11.2%, P < 0.0001) or IEM (18.9% vs. 6.4% P < 0.0001)


Thursday, August 20, 2020

Multiple Ascending Dose Study of CTI-1601 Versus Placebo in Subjects With Friedreich's Ataxia

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04519567 Responsible Party: Larimar Therapeutics, Inc. First Posted: August 19, 2020

A Phase 1 Multiple Ascending Dose Study to Assess the Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacodynamics of Subcutaneous CTI-1601 Versus Placebo in Subjects With Friedreich's Ataxia

Actual Study Start Date: July 31, 2020
Estimated Primary Completion Date: June 30, 2021
Estimated Study Completion Date: June 30, 2021


Tuesday, August 18, 2020

Validation of low-cost system for gait assessment in children with ataxia

S. Summa, G. Tartarisco, M. Favetta, A. Buzachis, A. Romano, G.M. Bernava, A. Sancesario, G. Vasco, G. Pioggia, M. Petrarca, E. Castelli, E. Bertini, T. Schirinzi; Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine, 2020, 105705, Doi:10.1016/j.cmpb.2020.105705.

This study aims to test the usability of the Kinect system for assessing ataxia severity, exploring the potentiality of clustering algorithms and validating this system with a standard motion capture system.
The spatio-temporal parameters measured by Kinect cannot be used interchangeably with those parameters acquired with standard motion capture system in clinical practice but can still provide fundamental information. Specifically, these results might bring to the development of a novel system to perform easy and quick evaluation of gait in young patients with ataxia, useful for patients stratification in terms of clinical severity and diagnosis.

Monday, August 17, 2020

LARIMAR THERAPEUTICS : Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (form 10-Q) share with twitter share with LinkedIn share with facebook

MarketScreener; 08/14/2020.
CTI-1601 is currently being evaluated in Phase 1 clinical trials in patients with Friedreich's Ataxia. We have received orphan drug status, fast track designation and rare pediatric disease designation, from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the "FDA"), for CTI­1601. In addition, the European Medicines Agency ("EMA") Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products ("COMP") issued a positive opinion on the Company's application for orphan drug designation for CTI-1601. The receipt of such designations or positive opinions may not result in a faster development process, review or approval compared to products considered for approval under conventional FDA or EMA procedures and does not assure ultimate approval by the FDA or EMA.

Larimar Therapeutics (LRMR) Investor Presentation - Slideshow

Seeking Alpha Aug. 13, 2020 6:05 PM ET | About: Larimar Therapeutics, Inc. (LRMR)

About CTI-1601

Saturday, August 15, 2020

Identification of a Novel Oleic Acid Analog with Protective Effects in Multiple Cellular Models of Friedreich Ataxia

M Grazia Cotticelli, Roberto Forestieri, Shujuan Xia, Sipak Joyasawal, Taehee Lee, Kexin Xu, Amos B Smith Iii, Donna M Huryn, Robert B Wilson; ACS Chem Neurosci. 2020 Aug 11. doi: 10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00323. Online ahead of print.

Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder for which there is no cure or approved treatment. It is characterized by the loss or impaired activity of frataxin protein, which is involved in the biogenesis of iron-sulfur clusters. Our previous studies suggested that cell death in FRDA may involve ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of cell death requiring lipid peroxidation. Based on reports that oleic acid acts as a ferroptosis inhibitor, we evaluated whether it, other fatty acids, and fatty acid derivatives could rescue viability in cellular models of FRDA. We identified a trifluoromethyl alcohol analog of oleic acid that was significantly more potent than oleic acid itself. Further evaluation indicated that the effects were stereoselective, although a specific molecular target has not yet been identified. This work provides a potential starting point for therapeutics to treat FRDA, as well as a valuable probe molecule to interrogate FRDA pathophysiology.


Thursday, August 13, 2020

Test–retest reliability of the Friedreich’s ataxia rating scale

Christian Rummey Theresa A. Zesiewicz Santiago Perez‐Lloret Jennifer M. Farmer Massimo Pandolfo David R. Lynch; Ann Clin Transl Neurol. doi:10.1002/acn3.51118

The modified Friedreich Ataxia Rating Scale (mFARS) is a disease specific, exam‐based neurological rating scale commonly used as a outcome measure in clinical trials. While extensive clinimetric testing indicates it’s validity in measuring disease progression, formal test–retest reliability was lacking. To fill this gap, we acquired results from screening and baseline visits of several large clinical trials and calculated intraclass correlation coefficients, coefficients of variance, standard error, and the minimally detectable changes. This study demonstrated excellent test–retest reliability of the mFARS, and it’s upright stability subscore.


Wednesday, August 12, 2020

UPDATED: Reata suggests Friedreich's ataxia program could be delayed, sending stock plunging

August 10, 2020 05:07 PM EDT; Reata Pharmaceuticals $RETA made waves last October when its drug omaveloxolone produced positive trial results in treating a rare neurological disorder, but the candidate’s path forward became much murkier Monday.
In a report of quarterly earnings, the biotech divulged that the FDA is considering delaying omaveloxolone’s NDA pending completion of a second trial. That could push back approval by at least a year given that the target population, individuals with Friedreich’s ataxia, is limited and progression of the hard-to-treat illness is notoriously slow. The Covid-19 pandemic would also hinder Reata’s ability to complete an additional trial.

FDA 'not convinced' MOXIe data sufficient

Tuesday, August 4, 2020

Onset features and time to diagnosis in Friedreich’s Ataxia

Elisabetta Indelicato, Wolfgang Nachbauer, Andreas Eigentler, Matthias Amprosi, Raffaella Matteucci Gothe, Paola Giunti, Caterina Mariotti, Javier Arpa, Alexandra Durr, Thomas Klopstock, Ludger Schöls, Ilaria Giordano, Katrin Bürk, Massimo Pandolfo, Claire Didszdun, Jörg B. Schulz, Sylvia Boesch & on behalf of the EFACTS (European Friedreich’s Ataxia Consortium for Translational Studies); Orphanet J Rare Dis 15, 198 (2020). doi:10.1186/s13023-020-01475-9

Six hundred eleven genetically confirmed FRDA patients were recruited within a multicentric natural history study conducted by the EFACTS (European FRDA Consortium for Translational Studies, ClinicalTrials.gov-Identifier NCT02069509). Age at first symptoms as well as age at first suspicion of FRDA by a physician were collected retrospectively at the baseline visit.
In the genetic era, presentation with non-neurological features or in the adulthood still leads to a significant diagnostic delay in FRDA. Well-known correlations between GAA1 repeat length and disease milestones are not valid in case of atypical presentations or positive family history.