Akashi Therapeutics, Inc., announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track designation to the company’s most advanced product candidate, HT-100 (delayed-release halofuginone), an orally available, small molecule drug candidate intended to reduce fibrosis and inflammation and promote healthy muscle regeneration in boys with DMD. Fast track designation is granted by the FDA to facilitate the development and expedite the review of new drugs that are intended to treat serious or life-threatening conditions and that demonstrate the potential to address unmet medical needs.

Prosensa Holding N.V. (NASDAQ: RNA), the Dutch biopharmaceutical company focusing on RNA-modulating therapeutics for rare diseases with high unmet need, today announced the successful completion of enrollment in its prospective Natural History Study designed to increase the understanding of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

Antisense therapy with both chemistries of phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PMOs) and 2′-O-methyl phosphorothioate has demonstrated the capability to induce dystrophin expression in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients in phase II-III clinical trials with benefit in muscle functions.