Columns

The People Involved in Freeze HD Warm My Heart

On Saturday evening, my wife, Jill, and I will be putting on our fancy party clothes to attend the 7th Annual Freeze HD virtual event. The benefit will feature celebrities, music performances, and a silent auction, with the goal of raising money for the Huntington’s Disease Society of America.

Dosing Starts in SELECT-HD Trial That Seeks to Lower mHTT Levels

A Phase 1/2 trial evaluating Wave Life Science’s investigational therapy WVE-003 for Huntington’s disease has started dosing patients, the company has announced. The SELECT-HD trial (NCT05032196), underway in clinical sites in Australia, Germany, Poland, and the U.K., is currently looking to enroll 36 Huntington’s patients, ages…

New Institute Aims to Leave No Rare Disease Patient Behind

A newly launched non-profit institute is seeking to advance research, and the development of new therapies, for people with rare diseases — a patient community with some of the largest therapeutic needs, but one that is often left behind. Named the Institute for Life Changing Medicines, the project was…

Abnormal DNA Repair Mechanism May Be Therapeutic Target

The interaction between FAN1 and MLH1 — two DNA repair proteins known to be genetic modifiers of Huntington’s disease — protects against further expansion of disease-causing CAG repeats, according to a study using human and mouse models of the disease. Specifically, this interaction prevents MLH1’s recruitment to a DNA…

Wondering About ADHD and Huntington’s

Earlier this year, I wrote that I was dealing with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but didn’t realize it until my wife, Jill, pointed it out to me. Today, with her permission, I’m turning the spotlight on her. My wife has always admitted that she suffers from ADHD,…

Group Focuses on Rare Disease Clinical Trial Participation

Participation in clinical trials exposes rare disease patients to financial, physical, and emotional pressures, according to the results of a patient focus group series. “Rare disease trial participants are running an endurance race they are highly motivated to complete, but these incremental burdens negatively impact their ability or willingness to…