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An experimental drug intended for Alzheimer s patients seems to improve both language and learning in adults with Fragile X syndrome.
The drug, called BPN14770, increased cognitive scores by about 10% in 30 adult males after 12 weeks, a team reports in the journal
Nature Medicine.
That is enough to change the lives of many people with Fragile X, says Mark Gurney, CEO of Tetra Therapeutics, developer of the medicine. People with Fragile X with an IQ of 40 are typically living with their parents or in an institutional setting, Gurney says. With an IQ of 50, in some cases they re able to ride the bus, they re able to hold a job with some assistance and they re able to function better in their community.
Fragile X syndrome involves changes in the X chromosome, as pictured in the four columns of chromosomes starting on the left. The fifth column, on the far right, shows two normal X chromosomes. Richard J. Green/Science Source
An experimental drug intended for Alzheimer s patients seems to improve both language and learning in adults with Fragile X syndrome.
The drug, called BPN14770, increased cognitive scores by about 10% in 30 adult males after 12 weeks, a team reports in the journal
Nature Medicine.
That is enough to change the lives of many people with Fragile X, says Mark Gurney, CEO of Tetra Therapeutics, developer of the medicine.
Originally published on April 30, 2021 8:44 am
An experimental drug intended for Alzheimer s patients seems to improve both language and learning in adults with Fragile X syndrome.
The drug, called BPN14770, increased cognitive scores by about 10% in 30 adult males after 12 weeks, a team reports in the journal
Nature Medicine.
That is enough to change the lives of many people with Fragile X, says Mark Gurney, CEO of Tetra Therapeutics, developer of the medicine. People with Fragile X with an IQ of 40 are typically living with their parents or in an institutional setting, Gurney says. With an IQ of 50, in some cases they re able to ride the bus, they re able to hold a job with some assistance and they re able to function better in their community.
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MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST: An experimental drug appears to help people with a genetic disorder called Fragile X syndrome. Fragile X is the most common inherited cause of intellectual disabilities and autism. NPR s Jon Hamilton reports that a drug intended for Alzheimer s patients appears to ease some of the symptoms.
JON HAMILTON, BYLINE: Alzheimer s and Fragile X both affect a substance that helps transmit messages inside cells. A small company called Tetra Therapeutics have been working on an Alzheimer s drug that manipulates this substance. Mark Gurney is Tetra s CEO.
MARK GURNEY: So we thought there was a strong possibility that this drug might be effective in Fragile X.