FDA approves DMD treatment

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Duvyzat (givinostat) to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a rare neuromuscular genetic condition. The condition leads to alterations in a protein called dystrophin that keeps muscle cells intact. Duvyzat, a small-molecule nonsteroidal drug, works by inhibiting histone deacetylase enzymes, thereby reducing inflammation and muscle loss. The drug, from the Italian firm Italfarmaco, is the third new treatment approved for the condition since June.