Among people with Friedrich’s ataxia (FA), being older, having a more severe condition, and a point mutation raise the risk for developing diabetes, according to a recent study. The study, “Prevalence, Risk, and Management of Diabetes in Friedreich’s Ataxia,” was presented at the 80th…
The CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technique safely removed the gene expansion that causes Friedrich’s ataxia (FA), allowing for normal frataxin levels and more functional mitochondria in cells taken from patients, an early study reported. This work, and further experiments in mice, supports the potential of a stem cell approach to treating…
The Alexion Charitable Foundation has awarded $1.1 million in grants to programs that support those with rare diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization recently announced. The grants will support activities that align with the foundation’s Rare Belonging focus, a set of funding priorities aimed at improving the…
The Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI) recently created a Rare Disease Diversity Coalition focused on reducing racial disparities in the rare disease community. Getting a timely and accurate diagnosis for a disease that few people — sometimes even physicians — have heard of is challenging on its own merit.
Neurofilament light chain (NfL) and phosphorylated neurofilament heavy chain (pNfH) — two key components of axons (nerve cell extensions responsible for transmitting nerve signals) — show promise as biomarkers of neurodegeneration in Friedrich’s ataxia (FA), a study reports. The study, “NfL…
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