News

An international team of scientists has modified a standardized neurological assessment so it can better measure the severity of non-movement symptoms in people with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA). The researchers found that the updated assessment closely matches established measures of FA severity. They said the findings highlight how often overlooked…

MRI scans analyzed with artificial intelligence (AI) to measure the size of the dentate nucleus — a deep brain region that tends to shrink in people with Friedreich’s ataxia — may help track how the disease progresses over time, according to a new study. “These volumetric changes were associated…

SGT-212, a gene therapy candidate for Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) that’s currently in early clinical testing, has been granted rare pediatric disease designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA awards this status to experimental treatments that are designed to address rare diseases that primarily affect children,…

In Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), a subset of patients develops severe thickening of the heart muscle as the heart shifts to using glucose (sugar) as a fast but less effective energy source. This switch is linked to poorer heart function and early signs of damage, a study suggests. These patients…

An experimental gene therapy injected directly into the eye preserved the structure and function of the retina — the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye — in mouse models of Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), according to a proof-of-concept study. These data support “continued efforts toward the development of…

In 2007, 8-year-old Isabel Maugee began having gait problems while playing soccer. Caroline Maugee and her husband, Eric, thought their daughter had knock knees. A year later, the couple was shocked when Isabel and her twin brother, Christian, were diagnosed with a disease they had never heard of —…

Leriglitazone, an oral therapy being investigated as a Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) treatment, extends nerve cell survival, improves mitochondrial function, helps balance iron levels, and prevents ferroptosis (a type of iron-dependent cell death), a cell-based study showed. Data also showed that combining leriglitazone with lower doses of the approved…

A combination of insulin, diabetes medications, and supplements that help cells produce energy lowered blood sugar and eased neurological symptoms for a woman with Friedreich’s ataxia and diabetes, according to a case report from India. Researchers said the case was “the first reported instance of concurrent long-term [blood sugar]…

Functional assessments, such as a test of how far an individual can walk in one minute, may be useful for tracking disease progression in children with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), a study reports. “Our study overall emphasizes the importance of integrating a range of outcome assessments tailored to the specific…

The investigational therapy nomlabofusp increased the levels of frataxin, the protein deficient in people with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), in several tissues of animal models, and improved heart function and survival in an FA mouse model, a study showed. The findings are consistent with benefits of the Larimar…