News

FDA Seeks Input on Huntington’s, Parkinson’s Disease Impact, Treatment

In 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug administration (FDA) selected Huntington’s disease (HD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) as the focus of a three-year public consultation project for Patient-Focused Drug Development. This initiative involves working toward a better understanding of patient perspectives on the severity of these diseases and evaluation of…

Novel HD Study Zooms in on Peripheral Immune Dysfunction

A new study entitled “Mutant Huntingtin Does Not Affect the Intrinsic Phenotype of Human Huntington’s Disease T Lymphocytes,” published in PLOS ONE, has revealed important insights into future Huntington’s disease therapies aimed at modulating the peripheral immune system, mainly by targeting hyper-reactive monocytes and macrophages.

Huntington’s Patients Often Also Suffer from Psychiatric Disorders

Psychiatric manifestations develop more often than previously thought in Huntington’s disease prodrome, according to findings of a recent study published in The American Journal of Psychiatry. Moreover, it appears that symptoms also increase with disease severity. Early features of Huntington’s disease can include personality changes, mood swings,…

Rutgers Awarded $6M Grant to Manage NINDS Stem Cell Repository

The Rutgers’ Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, home to RUCDR Infinite Biologics — the world’s largest university-based biorepository — announced it has received a five-year grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). The $6 million funding will allow Rutgers to assume management of the NINDS stem cell repository,…

Huntington’s Disease ‘Gene Silencing’ Drug Given to First Human Patients

October 19, 2015, marks a historical day in the treatment of Huntington’s Disease. At University College London Hospitals, patients afflicted with the degenerative neurological condition that day received an innovative new “gene silencing” drug. There is great hope that this drug will revolutionize the treatment of this destructive disease, for which there is currently…