The reason kids like Arya live at all is that humans have a slightly defective cousin of
the SMA gene that produces only enough nourishing protein to keep patients alive for a while.
Researchers had assumed that
the SMA gene, essential for the survival of motor neurons, affected only that particular type of neuron.
The SMA gene replacement therapy developed by the Mendell and Kaspar teams at Nationwide Children's Hospital and collaborators at Ohio State University has the realistic potential to cure a devastating neurological disorder of newborn infants.
Then, researchers then sought a way to increase
SMA gene product levels, the messenger RNAs (mRNAs), and thus protein levels by silencing or removing the SMN lnc - RNA.
Not exact matches
The most common form of
SMA is caused by mutation of the SMN
gene, and manifests over a wide range of severity affecting infants through adults.
In individuals affected by
SMA, the survival motor neuron - 1 (SMN1)
gene is mutated and lacks the ability to process a key protein that helps neurons function.
About one in 8,000 children is born with some form of
SMA in which mutations in both copies of the
gene that code for the survival motor neuron (SMN) protein cripples its production.
According to studies, approximately one out of every 40 individuals in the United States is a carrier of the
gene responsible for spinal muscular atrophy (
SMA), a neurodegenerative disease that causes muscles to weaken over time.
The goal of early
SMA drug discovery programs has been to identify small molecules that induce the SMN
gene to produce sufficient levels of protein to improve motor neuron functioning in affected patients.
Several
SMA treatment trials are in progress, but the community is especially tracking a single - dose
gene therapy that, if approved, would have its own cost and treatment implications.
«Encouraging data for
gene replacement therapy for
SMA type I, phase 1 study shows.»
The laboratories also collaborated to successfully prove that reversing a protein deficiency through
gene therapy is effective in improving and stabilizing
SMA in a large animal model.
SMA patients inherit a flaw in the Survival Motor Neuron (SMN)
gene that decimates the levels of the SMN protein, causing motor neurons and associated muscles to die.
According to recent studies, approximately one out of every 40 individuals in the United States is a carrier of the
gene responsible for spinal muscular atrophy (
SMA), a neurodegenerative disease that causes muscles to weaken over time.
In individuals affected by
SMA, the spinal motor neuron - 1 (SMN1)
gene is mutated and lacks the ability to process a key protein that helps muscle neurons function.
The
SMA model pig was created using a
gene therapy approach by knocking down the levels of pig SMN, followed by treatment with human SMN at early and late time points.
Mostly caused by an inherited flaw in the Survival Motor Neuron (SMN)
gene,
SMA is presently without a cure.
SMA is caused by a mutation in a
gene that is vital for the survival of nerve cells that connect the brain and spinal cord to the muscles, known as motor neurons.
So even though the
genes that cause ALS and
SMA are different, they might share a common pathway that affects motor neuron structure and function.»
Ma and colleagues first discovered that mitochondria was involved in
SMA when they analyzed
gene expression profiles of motor neurons from
SMA and control mice.
Spinraza, the
gene therapy medication, also provides significant improvements in cases with the next most severe form of neuromuscular disease, spinal muscular atrophy (
SMA), which afflicts children from 6 to 18 months of age.
SMA is characterized by hypotonia and muscle weakness, as spinal motor neurons are lost, and is caused by mutations in the SMN
gene.
SMA is caused by a loss of, or defect in, the survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1)
gene leading to a decrease in the protein, survival motor neuron (SMN).
SMA is caused by deletions or mutations in the
gene encoding survival motor neuron 1 protein (SMN1), whose function is unclear.
ISIS - SMNRx is designed to treat all types of childhood
SMA by altering the splicing of a closely related
gene (SMN2) that leads to the increased production of fully functional SMN protein.
The defect in SMN2
gene expression in
SMA patients is at the level of premRNA splicing, such that exon 7 tends to be left out of the mRNA that ultimately makes SMN protein.
Institut de Myologie, Paris: Dr Martine Barkats («Evaluation of AAV - mediated
gene therapy in murine and feline
SMA models»)
«What is most fascinating about HDAC inhibitors, and not just for
SMA, is that they are
gene therapy without having to put the
gene in,» Dr. Swoboda said.
SMA is caused by a pathogenic mutation involving the SMN1
gene on chromosome 5q12.2 - q 13.3, said Dr. De Vivo.
About 1 in 6000 newborns are affected, and about 1 in 40 people carry the
gene for
SMA.
In
SMA, we don't test routinely for the
gene mutation before the disease manifests, because there is no treatment.
The next step will be to try to cure the
SMA in the dish by replacing defective
genes or screening for an effective drug.
Multiple mouse models of
SMA have been produced, generally by knocking out the endogenous mouse SMN1
gene and replacing it with one or more copies of the human SMN2
gene that produces much less full - length SMN protein than the SMN1
gene.
SMA is caused by mutations in a
gene called SMN1.
To date, this appears to be the case in 15 infants with the single
gene disorder
SMA.
«Excitingly, the program has identified drug - like compounds that act on
SMA patient cells in culture to increase SMN2
gene activity and thereby the amount of functional SMN protein.
SMA is a genetic disease caused by mutation or deletion of the SMN1 (survival of motor neuron)
gene.
About AVXS - 101 AVXS - 101 is a proprietary
gene therapy candidate of a one ‐ time treatment for
SMA Type 1 and is the only clinical ‐ stage
gene therapy in development for
SMA.
Despite some similar symptoms such as lack of motor control,
SMA is caused by an unrelated
gene defect.
For example, by using histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, which, by remodeling chromatin structure, are thought to promote
gene expression broadly, including for SMN2, numerous groups showed that they could increase SMN protein levels — both truncated and full - length — in mouse models of
SMA as well as in patient - derived cell lines.
These alternate strategies include using small - molecule drugs that affect RNA metabolism or protein stability, as well as administering modified viruses for therapeutic
gene delivery (see «Getting a fix on
SMA»).
«Our goal has been to expand the study of
gene therapy beyond Type 1 infants to address the urgent medical needs of children with
SMA Type 2, and we look forward to understanding the potential clinical impact of AVXS - 101 in these patients who, left untreated, will never walk on their own and most will never stand without assistance.»
Chicago, Ill., July 20, 2016 — AveXis, Inc., a clinical - stage
gene therapy company developing treatments for patients suffering from rare and life - threatening neurological genetic diseases, today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation for AVXS - 101, the company's lead development candidate for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (
SMA) Type 1 in pediatric patients.
The dream for scientists, physicians and pharmaceutical companies alike is to bring more people with
SMA effectively into this last category by helping affected children make the most of the SMN2
genes they already have.
AVXS ‐ 101 is designed to address the monogenetic root cause of
SMA and prevent further muscle degeneration by addressing the defective and / or loss of the primary SMN
gene.
Vivienne has spinal muscular atrophy (
SMA), a condition caused by mutations in the
gene SMN1.
Through studying these
genes, the researchers discovered Stasimon, a novel
gene critical for motor circuit activity in fly and zebrafish models of
SMA.
AveXis, Inc. and Genethon today announced they have entered into an exclusive, worldwide license agreement for in vivo
gene therapy delivery of AAV9 vector into the central nervous system (CNS) for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (
SMA).
Hereditary diseases like
SMA maybe a prime therapeutic indications for
gene therapy, where
gene therapy will provide a functional replacement for a dysfunctional
gene.
In case of
SMA, carriers do not show any symptoms of
SMA and have one normal copy of SMN1
gene and one mutated, or defective, copy.