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Dara Riva always had a rule that her 10-year-old son could play video games only once a week. But then the COVID-19 pandemic struck, and her perspective changed. Riva’s son, Maximilian, has cystic fibrosis (CF), making him particularly susceptible to COVID-19 and the complications that can arise from it.

AVXS-401, an experimental gene therapy for Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), is safe, well-tolerated, and leads to clinically meaningful improvements in mice and primate models of the disease, early studies have found. According to researchers, these promising findings suggest that AVXS-401 is safe for human use and support beginning…

Eurordis, a Paris-based coalition of national rare disease associations across Europe, hosted its first all-virtual conference, bringing some 1,500 delegates from 57 countries together online during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 10th European Conference on Rare Diseases & Orphan Products (ECRD2020) — which was set for May 14–15 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,…

The Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network (RDCRN) has opened an online survey to better understand how the COVID-19 outbreak is affecting people with rare diseases, their families, and caregivers. Survey questions cover a patient’s physical and mental health, supply of treatments, and access to healthcare, among other…

The COVID-19 pandemic will delay development work on a potential gene therapy, and the start of a planned and possibly pivotal clinical trial in the small molecule treatment PTC743, both intended for people with Frederich’s ataxia (FA), PTC Therapeutics said in a quarterly report. PTC now expects to start…

Scientists discovered two microRNAs — tiny RNA molecules that control the activity of several genes — playing a key role in the development of Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) that may be promising candidates for its treatment. Their findings were reported in the study, “A Comprehensive Transcriptome…

FFF Enterprises and Bionews announced today that both rare and orphan disease advocates are joining forces to provide patients with resources to help them connect as a community and continue to manage their health during this time when many are finding themselves alone. Recognized as the nation’s leading supplier of…

While there are few silver linings to the cloud created by COVID-19, the pandemic that has killed tens of thousands, hobbled economies worldwide and drove millions to quarantine in their homes, one may be a new appreciation of telemedicine. “If something good could come out of this crisis, it’s that…

The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) has opened a financial assistance program for people in rare disease community who are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. Called the NORD COVID-19 Critical Relief Program, the effort will provide up to $1,000 annually to those eligible to…