News

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) report they’ve identified a novel compound that could be a potential therapy strategy for Huntington’s disease, protecting nerve cells from death in both cultured cells and animal models of the disease. The study, “SIRT2- and NRF2-Targeting Thiazole-Containing Compound with Therapeutic Activity in…

Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Boston University have developed a system capable of rapidly analyzing protein aggregation, a hallmark of Huntington’s disease, and opening new possibilities in exploring both the causes of protein accumulation and the potential of new drugs to counteract it. The method,…

Results from a Phase 3 clinical trial found that deutetrabenazine (SD-809), an investigational drug developed by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, improved chorea among Huntington’s disease patients. But the researchers caution that more studies are needed to ascertain the treatment’s long-term effectiveness and safety. Data from the trial showing that the drug improved swallowing…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug designation to WAVE Life Sciences‘ lead candidate WVE-120101, which is being developed for the treatment of Huntington’s disease (HD). “Each potential new therapy for Huntington’s disease gives fresh hope to the more than 30,000 Americans symptomatic with HD and…

Gene therapy using mesenchymal stem cells for Huntington’s disease is showing promise in mouse studies, and preparations are underway to possibly move it into clinical testing. Before the technique might be ready for human trials, however, scientists need to master a few more steps, using larger animal models to investigate the therapy’s…

Monitoring respiratory function in Huntington’s disease (HD) from the middle stage of the disease may help prevent respiratory failure according to research. In addition, regular breathing exercises may improve the function of breathing muscles and cough effectiveness.

According to a recent study developed by researchers at the University of British Columbia in Canada, more people may have mutations linked to the development of Huntington’s disease (HD) than previously thought. However, the increase is only seen in people whose mutations are associated with a lower risk of developing the disease.

New data on an uncharted dark spot of the mouse brain map reveals how connections between brain cells form networks responsible for movement and motor learning — tasks that go awry in conditions such as Huntington’s disease. The findings, discovered during a larger comprehensive project by scientists at the University…

New research from University Hospital Pitié-Salpêtrière at Sorbonne University, France indicates that couples at risk of transmitting Huntington’s disease to their children need more psychological support before pre-natal testing of the embryo’s genetic status, and additional counseling should they choose to reproduce again. In practice, about 5-25% of men and women at risk…

Caregivers of  people with Huntington’s disease describe themselves as invisible patients in a healthcare system they are profoundly disappointed with, according to a study in the journal Psychiatra Polska. While the study was done in Poland, similar findings in both the U.S. and U.K. indicate that changes in…