SYDNEY, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- A new drug for the treatment of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) originally developed at the University of Western Australia (UWA) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
UWA in a press statement on Tuesday said the drug known as Eteplirsen, offered new hope for DMD sufferers, who without treatment were usually confined to a wheelchair before the age of 12 and had a life expectancy of 30.
"It's the first treatment for DMD that addresses the cause of the disease and the hope is that it will slow its progression and keep patients mobile for longer," said the university's deputy vice-chancellor, Research Professor Robyn Owens.
Professor Steve Wilton and Professor Sue Fletcher developed the treatment at UWA's Centre for Neuromuscular and Neurological Disorders and the Western Australian Neuroscience Research Institute.
They had been working with U.S. biotechnology company Sarepta Therapeutics to get the drug through clinical trials.
The FDA's approval was given to Sarepta Therapeutics, who licensed the rights to develop the drug and means the treatment can now be made available to DMD patients.
"It demonstrates how universities can be the source of great ideas and how partnering with experts in industry can create real impact," Owens said.
DMD is a rare and fatal muscle wasting disease that affects one in 3,500 males worldwide, where every muscle in a sufferer's body, including the heart, deteriorates eventually leading to loss of life.
It is very rarely suffered by females, with approximately one in 50 million girls having DMD.
