Top AI companies join hands to discover novel drugs for DMD

Insilico Medicine a leader in artificial intelligence for drug discovery, biomarker development and aging research, announced a research collaboration agreement with A2A Pharmaceuticals, Inc. A2A is a biotechnology company headquartered in New York and focused on development of novel drugs for unmet needs in oncology, drug resistant bacterial infections, and other life threatening diseases.

The companies agreed to join forces to create a new company called "Consortium.AI" , which will apply the latest advances in AI to discovery of novel small molecules for the Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) and other rare orphan diseases. Computationally pre-optimized new drug candidates have already been designed for targets validated through Insilico's artificial intelligence system A2A Pharmaceuticals will assume the management of the new company, provide the development expertise for the newly discovered compounds and should be contacted for the licensing of the compounds.

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20180720/Top-AI-companies-join-hands-to-discover-novel-drugs-for-DMD.aspx

A dietary supplement derived from glucose increases muscle-force production in the Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) mouse model by 50% in ten days, according to a study conducted by researchers from Université Laval's Faculty of Medicine and Centre hospitalier universitaire (CHU) de Québec Research Centre-Université Laval. The results, which were recently published in the scientific periodical The FASEB Journal, pave the way for a clinical study to test the treatment's effectiveness on humans.

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20180630/Glucose-based-dietary-supplement-increases-muscle-force-in-Duchenne-muscular-dystrophy-mouse.aspx

MSU students develop exoskeleton app for patient with Duchenne muscular dystrophy

MSU students develop exoskeleton app for patient with Duchenne muscular dystrophy: "Zach Smith has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a genetic disorder marked by progressive muscle degeneration. His lack of muscle control and being in a wheelchair made him a prime candidate for a computer-controlled exoskeleton arm.

Talem Technologies gave him an X-Ar exoskeleton that allows him to do many daily tasks, such as drink from a glass and turn on a light switch. Keeping everything level however, proved to be a challenge. That's where a team of Michigan State University students stepped in.

Working with the Talem Technologies and Urban Science, a Detroit-based consulting firm, a College of Engineering team of computer science students developed an app that allows Smith, who lives in Orlando, Florida, to maximize the use of his bionic-looking arms.

Mustafa Jebara, Dane Rosseter, Samantha Oldenburg, Alex Wuillame and Shun Yan created Mobile Maestro, available for iPhones and Android devices, that conveniently puts the exoskeleton's controls on the user's phone."



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Ezutromid Shows Potential in DMD | Medpage Today

Ezutromid Shows Potential in DMD | Medpage Today: "LOS ANGELES -- The investigative utrophin modulator ezutromid showed promise in treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy, according to a interim analysis of an open-label, phase II clinical trial.

Ezutromid appeared to have significantly deceased inflammation in the calf muscle of Duchenne patients after 24 weeks, reported Anne Heatherington, PhD, of Summit Therapeutics in Oxford, England, and colleagues at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting."



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Research establishes use of chimeric cells as potential therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Research establishes use of chimeric cells as potential therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy: "Cells made by fusing a normal human muscle cell with a muscle cell from a person with Duchenne muscular dystrophy --a rare but fatal form of muscular dystrophy -- were able to significantly improve muscle function when implanted into the muscles of a mouse model of the disease. The findings are reported by researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago in the Stem Cell Review and Reports."



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Summit’s DMD drug cuts muscle inflammation in POC trial | FierceBiotech

Summit’s DMD drug cuts muscle inflammation in POC trial | FierceBiotech: "Summit Therapeutics has posted further data from the ongoing phase 2 trial of ezutromid. The latest analysis links the utrophin modulator to a statistically significant decline in muscle inflammation in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

Oxford, U.K.-based Summit generated the data on muscle inflammation by measuring MRI transverse relaxation time T2 (MRS-T2). The technique quantifies the breakdown and inflammation of muscle, making it a useful tool for assessing the progression of DMD. MRS-T2 values rise as DMD progresses but can be brought down by steroids.

The Summit data suggest ezutromid may drive reductions in MRS-T2 beyond those achieved by the use of steroids alone. All 38 participants in the proof-of-concept trial were on stable steroid regimes. After 24 weeks of twice-daily ezutromid doses, MRS-T2 decreased by 0.861 milliseconds, on average."



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Cell therapy for heart disease caused by muscular dystrophy also improves limb strength, study shows

Cell therapy for heart disease caused by muscular dystrophy also improves limb strength, study shows: "Injections of cardiac progenitor cells help reverse the fatal heart disease caused by Duchenne muscular dystrophy and also lead to improved limb strength and movement ability, a new study shows.

The study, published today in Stem Cell Reports, showed that when researchers injected cardiosphere-derived cells (CDCs) into the hearts of laboratory mice with muscular dystrophy, heart function improved along with a marked increase in exercise capacity.

"We unexpectedly found that treating the heart made the whole body better," said Eduardo Marbán, MD, PhD, director of the Smidt Heart Institute and the investigator who developed the cardiosphere-derived cell technology used in the study. "These basic findings, which have already been translated to clinical trials, rationalize why treating the heart may also benefit skeletal muscle function in boys and young men with Duchenne.""



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