SANDS Awareness Month - Finding Your Way
03 June 2019 / Posted in: Information, Support
June is SANDS awareness month. 2019's theme is ‘Finding Your Way’ after pregnancy and baby loss and seeking support in a way that is right for anyone needing it, with a particular focus on support for men and helping them find a way through grief. Find out more here including how to support the campaign.
New Q&A - Prof. Laurent Servais
31 May 2019 / Posted in: Treatments & Research
For our latest Q & A we have Laurent Servais, a clinical researcher recently appointed Professor of Paediatric Neuromuscular Diseases at the MDUK Oxford Neuromuscular Centre.
Roche presented data from its risdiplam pivotal FIREFISH and SUNFISH studies at the 2019 American Academy of Neurology annual conference
31 May 2019 / Posted in: Treatments & Research
Risdiplam is an orally administered small molecule which encourages the SMN 2 “back-up gene” to produce functional SMN protein.
Survey Reviewing the Supply and Use of Wheelchairs from the NHS
29 May 2019 / Posted in: Information, Support
This survey is designed to capture information on service user experience in the Greater Manchester area of accessing and using a wheelchair (manual, battery powered or electric) over the last 5 years, and to identify both user and carer priorities. Survey closes: 28th June.
Childhood Project Survey
29 May 2019 / Posted in: Information, Support
The NCB and British Academy want to find out what children and young people aged 11 to 18 think and feel about Childhood. They want to find out how the decisions that governments make affect children and young people’s lives as they are growing up.
AveXis Receives USA Approval for their Gene Therapy, Zolgensma®, for the Treatment of Children with SMA Aged Less than 2 Years
28 May 2019 / Posted in: Treatments & Research
This makes a second ground-breaking treatment for SMA possible in the USA for these children and any who are pre-symptomatic. It is a one-time injection into the blood designed to address the genetic root cause of SMA by replacing the faulty or missing SMN1 gene.
Student Survey: Views about Newborn Screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy and Spinraza
27 May 2019 / Posted in: Information, Treatments & Research
This research is being conducted by a third year Biomedical Science undergraduate student at the University of Warwick. It's exploring views about newborn screening for SMA and Spinraza being recently approved for use on the NHS in the UK. Survey closes 4th June.
Novartis announces 25 infants with SMA Type 1 now enrolled into Part 2 of their trial
20 May 2019 / Posted in: Treatments & Research
This means enrolment for this trial has now closed. Branaplam is currently being assessed for safety and efficacy in a Phase 1/2 clinical study in Type 1 infantile-onset SMA. These 25 infants are in addition to the 7 (out of 13 infants) who continue to receive branaplam in Part 1 of the study. Their exposure to treatment ranges from 3 to 4 years.
NICE Announces Guidance on Nusinersen will be Published on 26th June
15 May 2019 / Posted in: Treatments & Research
NICE have now updated their website with this advice. This means that until 26th June, Biogen will fund currently untreated infants with SMA Type 1 via a “bridging solution”. All patients already on the EAP will continue to have access to treatment. Those with SMA Types 2 and 3 will then start to get access subject to the terms of the MAA and as soon as services are able to cope with the patient load.
NHS England Announces Access to Nusinersen for all with SMA Types 1, 2, 3a and 3b
15 May 2019 / Posted in: Treatments & Research
The treatment will be made available by Biogen immediately to the youngest and most severely-affected infants (SMA Type 1). The NHS will then begin to provide nusinersen to those with SMA Types 2 and 3 shortly after NICE’s full guidance is published, and once the services to deliver them are established. It will also be available to pre-symptomatic siblings who, based on their genetics, are very likely to develop SMA.
