News

Rare POLR3B Mutation Again Linked to Early-onset CMT Type 1

In rare cases, de novo or non-inherited mutations in one copy of the POLR3B gene can cause an early-onset demyelinating form of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), according to a study from Japan involving more than 800 CMT patients. While mutations in both POLR3B gene copies have been shown to cause a rare neurodevelopmental…

Organizations Rally to Help Ukrainian Rare Disease Patients

A Russian military plane crash near Tetiana Zamorska’s home in Kyiv, Ukraine, was a sign that it was time for her and her family to leave. The treacherous, 34-hour pilgrimage that ultimately brought the group of eight by car to temporary accommodations in neighboring Poland last month was physically and emotionally difficult,…

HDAC6 Inhibitors Restore Neuromuscular Defects in Zebrafish

Treatment with inhibitors of the HDAC6 protein, including the new compound CKD-504, was able to restore proper connections between nerves and muscles and improve movement in zebrafish with low levels of GARS — the gene implicated in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2D, a study found. The results suggest that HDAC6 blockade may…

Orthopedic Shoes Can Improve Walking, But Not Stability, in Patients

Compared to regular footwear, customized orthopedic shoes significantly improve walking, including speed, in adults with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, according to a small study in the Netherlands. However, no significant differences in postural stability while standing or walking were noted when patients wore orthopedic versus standard shoes. While orthopedic…

Low-dose RGFP966 Molecule Aids Myelin Formation in CMT1A Mice

A low dose of a molecule known as RGFP966 boosted myelin production and improved electrical impulse conduction in nerves of a mouse model of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1 subtype A (CMT1A), a study found. RGFP966 is a selective inhibitor (blocker) of histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3), a protein that stops myelination,…

Europe Awaits Proposed New Framework for Sharing Health Data

The European Commission is expected to propose a new governing framework for health data next month, called the European Health Data Space (EHDS), with the aim of connecting national health systems to facilitate secure and efficient transfer of data across systems in different European nations. The move is expected to…