Meet #FriendofFRAXA Tobias! If you would like to nominate someone as a #FriendofFRAXA, we welcome all who have been touched by Fragile X, including friends, grandparents, siblings, professionals and companions alike to become a #FriendofFRAXA with the goal of putting a face to Fragile X for those who may not know someone directly.
Read moreAuthor: FRAXA Research Foundation
Fiona’s Bat Mitzvah Project
October 1, 2022 is my Bat Mitzvah. For my mitzvah project I chose to fundraise for FRAXA. FRAXA is an organization that researches for effective treatments and ultimately a cure for Fragile X syndrome. The reason it is so close to my heart is because my oldest brother Colby has Fragile X. Although he is 20 years old, some of the struggles he experiences with Fragile X include sharing his thoughts and communicating his feelings.
Read moreReactivating the FMR1 Gene to Reverse Fragile X Syndrome
FRAXA has awarded $140,000 to Dr. Jeannie Lee and Dr. Hungoo Lee at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. This team is targeting the root cause of Fragile X syndrome: a silenced single gene, called FMR1.
Read moreTargeting Serotonin 1A Receptors in Fmr1 Knockout Mice
Dr. Canal has discovered a promising treatment approach for Fragile X syndrome: new compounds which specifically and potently boost serotonin in the brain. The target is the brain’s serotonin 1A receptor.
Read moreFRAXA Volunteer Participates in Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program for the Department of Defense
FRAXA nominated advocate, Jennifer Frobish, recently evaluated research applications submitted to the Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP) of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).
Read moreFamilies Come from Multiple States for Flatbread Pizza Fundraiser
The world seems less scary. We were invited to the pizza party where we met Katie and so many other families. We were welcomed like family! It was such a good feeling to not be alone and have people understand your daily struggles and want change, like you, for Fragile X families.
Read moreWorld Fragile X Day Is Lighting the Way for Fragile X Research
The world shone brightly on July 22 for World Fragile X Day. An impressive 383 locations around the globe lit up to promote awareness and highlight the progress of Fragile X research.
Read moreTetra Therapeutics Initiates Phase 2B/3 Clinical Studies in Fragile X Syndrome
Tetra Therapeutics is launching large scale clinical trials of their phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor for males ages 12-45 with Fragile X syndrome. FRAXA Research Foundation’s basic and translational research pointed the way to phosphodiesterase inhibitors to treat Fragile X many years ago.
Read moreWhy Pharma Companies Take on Fragile X, Explained
Research aimed at finding Fragile X syndrome treatments is exploding. Why are so many pharmaceutical and biotech companies investing in this orphan indication? FRAXA chief scientific officer Dr. Michael Tranfaglia explains the many reasons Fragile X is such a hot topic.
Read moreCharity Golf Tournament on Memorial Day Weekend Helps Fund Fragile X Research
Brothers Pete and Dave Hall hosted their 33rd Annual Charity Golf Tournament on Memorial Day weekend. For the fifteenth consecutive year the money raised from this long-standing event has gone to FRAXA. This year’s total of over $28,000 pushes the 15 year total to over $262,000!
Read moreHealx Is Recruiting Study Participants for Its IMPACT-FXS Study
Healx is recruiting adolescent and adult (13-40 years old) males with Fragile X syndrome (FXS) for its IMPACT-FXS study in the US. This Phase 2, placebo controlled study will evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of two potential medications, HLX-0201 (sulindac, at 2 different doses) and HLX-0206 (gaboxadol). The aim is to confirm whether these drug candidates are safe and work as intended to reduce symptoms of FXS.
Read moreTranscriptional Signatures Sensitive to Cognition-Improving Pharmacological Treatments in Fragile X Syndrome
The Fragile X field needs biomarkers to accurately measure the effects of potential treatments in both Fragile X mice and in humans. Dr. Ozaita and his team have found molecular features in the brain that can serve as an objective signature for the syndrome. They will use this tool to test cannabidiol and two other drugs in mice.
Read moreCharacterization and Modulation of microRNAs in Fragile X Syndrome
Could microRNAs be a new path to treatment of Fragile X syndrome? MicroRNAs are disrupted in Fragile X, and so this team will work to understand what is going wrong and explore ways to correct it with drugs which directly target microRNAs.
Read moreBuilt Jobsite BBQ Raising Funds for Fragile X Research
Jason, a Built employee, worked with his team to host a BBQ at one of their construction sites to benefit FRAXA Research Foundation. Built, one of Australia’s largest private construction groups, has a reputation for being client focused. Their personal touch extends not only to their clients but to their employees, too, as Jason and Belinda D’Amico experienced personally after their boys, Jaxson and Alex, were diagnosed with Fragile X syndrome.
Read moreIn Memory of DeVier Pierson
Thank you for your donation to an organization that was very close to DeVier Pierson’s heart. He has supported FRAXA since the organization’s inception and we are very grateful for your support in his honor.
Read moreRepurposing FDA-Approved Drugs to Treat Major Depressive Disorder in Fragile X Syndrome
Did you know that depression is more common in those with autism and/or Fragile X? Even more disturbing is the discovery that current treatments for depression do not work in Fragile X mice. With this grant, the team will work to develop a rapid screening tool to identify FDA-approved drugs which can treat depression in people with Fragile X syndrome.
Read moreFMR1 Renamed to Fragile X Messenger Ribonucleoprotein 1
The efforts of the European Fragile X Network (EFXN) have led to the renaming of the FMR1 gene to “Fragile X Messenger Ribonucleoprotein 1” gene and the Fragile X protein, FMRP, to “Fragile X Messenger Ribonucleoprotein.” Families around the globe are celebrating the news as a significant step forward for acceptance and the removal of a term that evokes many negative feelings.
Read moremRNA Therapy for Fragile X Syndrome
Dr. Kathryn Whitehead, Associate Professor at Carnegie Mellon University, helped develop the revolutionary science behind the COVID-19 vaccines. With a $103,000 grant from FRAXA, her team will now adapt this technology to deliver the missing Fragile X protein, to treat people who have Fragile X syndrome.
Read moreVLM Commodities Charity Week Raises $10,000 for Fragile X Research
“We are often asked how we can do this, live with the challenges of Fragile X, day in and day out” Lou shared, “It’s just what we do. We keep going forward. FRAXA gives life and purpose to our community. I look forward to Charity Week being an annual VLM event and supporting the work FRAXA does.”
Read moreHow FRAXA Prioritizes Research, Explained
Dr. Mike Tranfaglia explains how FRAXA prioritizes research and the importance of looking at research from multiple angles. “It’s not either-or. It’s not we have a definitive treatment or we have a new drug treatment or we have a repurposing treatment. We can have all of those things, mixed or matched, in a personalized medicine kind of way and I think that’s what we’re headed for.”
Read moreCape Coral Touch-A-Truck, Free, Family-Friendly Event
The EHL Fragile X Foundation hosts an annual Touch-A-Truck in Cape Coral, Florida. This free hands-on family event provides a unique opportunity for children and adults alike to ask questions and explore vehicles of all types including Cape Coral Rescue Fire Truck, Lee County Emergency Medical Ambulance, Cape Coral Police BMW Motorcycles, and the Florida Forestry Swamp Buggy, and more awesome vehicles – all in one place.
Read moreWine and Friends Are a Great Blend for Fragile X Research
This evening was the first of what will be an annual event for Debra and Kevin, whose grandson Jackson has Fragile X syndrome. Their son, Edward, was on hand sharing with guests how Fragile X has impacted the life of his son and the challenges he and his wife, Avalon, face each day.
Read moreWhat FRAXA Is Excited about in the Upcoming Fragile X Research Grants, Explained
Dr. Mike Tranfaglia shares what FRAXA is excited about as we work through reviewing all of the submitted Fragile X research grant applications. We find it especially exciting that so many new clinical trials are starting right now, as our major emphasis is getting the drugs and other treatment strategies that we have tested in the Fragile X mouse model to patients in clinical trials.
Read moreGordon Research Conference for Fragile X and Autism-Related Disorders, Explained
The Fragile X and Autism-Related Disorders Gordon Research Conference is a biannual event that provides an international forum for the presentation and discussion of frontier research in these conditions. Dr. Mike Tranfaglia explains why this is the premier conference for researchers and the scientific community.
Read moreRecruiting: BRIDGE Study (BRain Indicators of Developmental Growth)
This study from the Wilkinson Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital is investigating how differences in brain activity affect learning, language and behavior in children with Fragile X syndrome, Down syndrome, and Autism Spectrum Disorder. One of the goals is to find brain markers that predict cognitive, language, and behavioral difficulties in these groups. Another goal is to better understand the differences in brain activity between young children with and without Fragile X and Down Syndrome, and whether these differences are similar in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
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