Administering a cholesterol drug alongside an antibiotic eases atypical behavior and restores the signaling balance in the brains of people with fragile X syndrome.
FRAXA-funded research is revealing how insulin signaling is altered in Fragile X and whether lowering it, including with metformin, could ease symptoms.
This 2-Period Crossover Study of BPN14770 is accepting adults males with Fragile X syndrome at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Principal Investigator of the study is Elizabeth Berry-Kravis, MD, PhD.
A selective inhibitor of the phosphodiesterase type-4D (PDE4D), BPN14770 has shown the ability to improve the quality of connections between neurons and to improve multiple behavioral outcomes in the Fragile X mouse model.
Years ago FRAXA funded Dr. Craig Erickson to run a trial of aripiprazole (aka Abilify). FRAXA guest writer Hannah Miles recently caught up with Dr. Erickson to learn the results of the trial.
Patients with Fragile X syndrome who don’t meet the cut-off for a diagnosis of autism show a decrease in impulsivity and repetitive questioning over time, when compared with patients who do, a new study shows.
Drug repurposing leverages the detailed information available on approved drugs and reduces the time and money needed to deliver safe “new” treatments, with greater success rates and quicker impact.
Dr. Erickson’s trial targeted brain imbalance in Fragile X by boosting GABA signaling with AZD7325, aiming to restore excitatory–inhibitory balance and improve symptoms.
This work established a high-content synaptic imaging platform for Fragile X cells to test many candidate drugs for their ability to repair synapse structure and function.
Once a neural marker is identified for a particular challenge, it can be measured during drug and behavioral therapy trials to see if a child is improving based on objective biological measures.
Dr. Nahum Sonenberg’s research showed the diabetes drug metformin can correct key signaling defects in Fragile X, leading to clinical trials of this safe, repurposed therapy.
FRAXA is identifying existing, approved drugs that could be repurposed for Fragile X, allowing potential treatments to move faster and at lower risk than starting from scratch.
Dr. Frank Kooy at the University of Antwerp investigated whether phosphorylation abnormalities are a suitable biomarker for clinical trials in Fragile X syndrome.
Carolyn Beebe Smith studies sleep disruptions in Fragile X and tests whether improving sleep with existing drugs can reduce symptoms and enhance behavior.
Mark Bear pioneered the mGluR theory of Fragile X, linking excess protein synthesis to symptoms and driving development of disease-modifying treatments now tested in clinical trials.
With $366,100 in FRAXA funding, researchers tested BK channel–opening drugs to fix sensory abnormalities in Fragile X mice; early results showed broad behavioral rescue.
What causes hyperexcitability? Dr. Kimberly Huber seeks to understand how FMRP regulates connections between brain cells and the function of brain circuits.
FRAXA funds biomarker research to develop objective, biological measures of Fragile X, helping predict treatment response, guide trials, and move therapies toward FDA approval.