Marisa Wexler, MS,  senior science writer—

The Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA), the CureFA Foundation, and fara Australia are supporting four research projects that aim to better understand the biology underlying Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) and pave the way for future treatment approaches, FARA announced in a press release. The Award for…

A majority of rare disease patients using telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic thought the experience positive, and many would like the option of continuing its use in future appointments, a series of surveys found. The surveys were conducted by the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) and involved more than 800…

IXICO has entered a five-year collaboration with the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA) and joined the TRACK-FA Neuroimaging Consortium, a group of academic and industry partners that are conducting a natural history study focused on tracking brain and spinal cord changes in patients with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA).

Measuring blood levels of two proteins, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and troponin, may provide useful information about heart health in people with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), a study suggests. The study, “Significance of NT-proBNP and High-Sensitivity Troponin in Friedreich Ataxia,” was published in the …

Poorer motor control associates with greater cognitive difficulties in people with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), a study from Belgium suggests. Its researchers also indicate that a recently validated cognitive test, although for a separate disease, ably captures the severity of problems with higher-level thinking in these patients, and could be used in…

To mark Friedreich’s Ataxia Awareness Month, the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA) is hosting a Research Flash Talk series covering ongoing studies of gene and protein function, as well as clinical outcomes and insights. A flash talk refers to a short presentation — typically five minutes or less,…

To minimize risk during the COVID-19 pandemic, Reata Pharmaceuticals is implementing at-home visits to deliver omaveloxolone to Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) patients and to assess the treatment’s safety in an extension study of the MOXIe Phase 2 clinical trial. “The COVID-19 pandemic presents an unprecedented threat to public…

Abnormally low levels of the protein HAX-1 correlate with decreased amounts of frataxin in cells from people with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), suggesting this protein could be used as a biomarker in the disease. The study with that finding, “Frataxin deficiency in Friedreich’s ataxia is associated with reduced…

The first therapy development program for neurological disorders launched by Exicure will focus on Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), the company announced. Its FA program will be developed in collaboration with the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA), it added. FA is caused by the expansion of the GAA trinucleotide repeat in…