Latest Utrophin Stories

Approximately 250,000 people in the United States suffer from muscular dystrophy, which occurs when damaged muscle tissue is replaced with fibrous, bony or fatty tissue and loses function. Three years ago, University of Missouri scientists found a molecular compound that is vital to curing the disease, but they didn't know how to make the compound bind to the muscle cells. In a new study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Science, MU School of Medicine scientists Yi...

TUCSON, Ariz., and PLEASANTON, Calif., Aug. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Safeway Inc. kicked off its annual fundraising campaign for the Muscular Dystrophy Association August 1 to support health care services for those living with neuromuscular diseases and global MDA research initiatives. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120424/DC93207LOGO) (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120730/DC49109LOGO) The nationwide campaign runs through September 3, giving...

MDA Supported Reformulation of Utrophin-Boosting Compound TUCSON, Ariz., April 24, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Muscular Dystrophy Association announced today that SMT C1100, an experimental drug for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), has received approval from regulatory agencies in the United Kingdom to move from laboratory to human testing, starting with healthy human volunteers. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120424/DC93207LOGO) The drug is designed to...

Grant Funds Work of Tivorsan Pharmaceuticals' Team to Bring Recombinant Biglycan to the Clinic for the Possible Treatment of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy HACKENSACK, N.J., Feb. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD) announced today that it will award Tivorsan Pharmaceuticals (Tivorsan) a $500,000 grant to develop the company's biglycan therapeutic candidate for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. (Logo:...

TUCSON, Ariz. and PROVIDENCE, R.I., Jan. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) today announced it has awarded $1.0 million to Tivorsan Pharmaceuticals to help speed pre-clinical work vital to a filing of an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a recombinant humanized form of biglycan as a potential muscular dystrophy treatment. The new funding to the Providence-based biotechnology firm...

TUCSON, Ariz., Dec. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) has awarded $750,000 to Summit PLC, a UK biotechnology company, to continue development of an experimental drug that may become a viable treatment for boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The funding comes from MDA Venture Philanthropy (MVP), a part of MDA's translational research program. DMD is one of nine types of muscular dystrophy, a group of genetic, degenerative diseases...

Largest National Duchenne Organization Gives $98,000 for Bridge Funding HACKENSACK, N.J., Sept. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD), the largest non-profit organization in the United States focused on finding a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (Duchenne), announced that it has awarded Tejvir S. Khurana, MD, PhD, Professor of Physiology at the University of Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania Muscle Institute an End Duchenne Grant for $98,000. (Logo:...

(Ivanhoe Newswire) "“ University of Iowa researchers have identified a new gene mutation that causes muscular dystrophy.In addition, by engineering the human gene mutation into a mouse, the researchers, have created a new mouse model that could help screen potential drugs to treat this type of muscular dystrophy.Normal dystroglycan, a protein that is abnormal in a group of congenital muscular dystrophies, is extensively modified with added sugar chains. This modification allows dystroglycan...

A novel potential therapy based on a natural human protein significantly slows muscle damage and improves function in mice who have the same genetic mutation as boys with the most common form of muscular dystrophy, according to a paper published online Dec. 27 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is a fatal genetic mutation in about one of every 3,500 boys. They are unable to produce a protein called dystrophin that keeps muscles strong. By eight...

NOVATO, Calif., Aug. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (Nasdaq: BMRN) announced today that it has completed the Phase 1 clinical study of BMN 195, a small molecule utrophin up-regulator, for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The Phase 1 clinical trial was a single-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-dose escalation study followed by a multiple-dose escalation study in healthy volunteers. The administration of up to 400 mg/kg did not...