News

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted rare pediatric disease designation to Anavex 2-73 (blarcamesine) for the treatment of Rett syndrome. This designation provides priority review to investigational treatments that have the potential to provide clinically meaningful benefits in serious rare diseases mainly affecting individuals younger than 18. If…

Rare disease-themed videos glowed on a large screen before an audience of people in wheelchairs, with crutches, and bearing oxygen tanks this Nov. 9 and 10 in San Francisco. Disorder: The Rare Disease Film Festival strives to eventually host a film about every one of the nearly 7,000 rare…

Ten new mutations in the MECP2 gene have been identified in a group of children and adults with Rett syndrome, a Japanese study reports. The study, “Ten novel insertion/deletion variants in MECP2 identified in Japanese patients with Rett syndrome,” was published in the journal…

Treatment with Anavex 2-73 was seen to improve motor skills, acoustic responses and visual acuity in a mouse model of Rett syndrome, supporting ongoing Phase 2 studies in patients. Its use also helped to lessen abnormal movements and ease breathing in these mice, its researchers said. The study, “…

In partnership with the Rett syndrome community, Newron Pharmaceuticals has launched a groundbreaking International Rett Syndrome Burden of Illness Survey. The first of its kind, the study will examine the physical, emotional, and financial impact of Rett syndrome on patients, families, and caregivers. Its findings are expected…

A Phase 3 clinical trial is recruiting girls and young women with Rett syndrome to explore the safety and efficacy of the investigational oral therapy trofinetide. The study, named LAVENDER, is planning to enroll 180 girls and women, 5 to 20 years old, at clinical sites in the…

Treadmill walking exercises can help improve gait speed and dynamics in people with Rett syndrome, a study suggests. However, the investigators cautioned that additional research is warranted to confirm these findings and explore the beneficial impact of treadmill training in this patient population. The study, “Kinematics associated with…

Lack of a functional MeCP2 protein leads to Rett syndrome by altering levels of brain proteins associated with energy metabolism and protein regulation, a study in a mouse model suggests. These altered protein levels might also predict Rett syndrome’s progression, the investigators said. The study, “Brain protein…

Taking coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) — a natural antioxidant — as an oral dietary supplement can ease oxidative stress associated with symptom severity and Rett syndrome progression, a small Italian study suggests. The study, “Effects of oral administration of common antioxidant supplements on the energy metabolism of red blood cells.

A newly identified mutation in the MECP2 gene — which is linked to Rett syndrome  — was found in two females in Germany who lacked all the common symptoms of the disorder, suggesting these are two cases of atypical Rett syndrome. The report, “Novel MECP2…