Medical researchers at the University of Alberta have found a new drug combination that could improve the outlook for patients suffering with muscular dystrophy.
Researchers found the combination improves muscular function and recovery in mice.
It’s believed this new found information will be a step forward in aiding those who suffer from muscular dystrophy.
The drug combination targets the “hotspot” of the gene mutation, making the symptoms less severe. Researchers agree that there is still a lot of work to do before a human version of the treatment is available.
“It takes more than five or ten years, maybe, for human clinical trials,” Dr. Toshifumi Yokota said Thursday. “I think in the long term this research has great potential and will have a great impact on patients.”
Their findings were published on Monday in the medical journal “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences”.
The team has finished the testing on mice and will begin their research on how the drug affects human cells in the near future.
