The Utah chapter of Fight SMA, Dylan’s Friends, alerted us an interesting article that ran recently in the Salt Lake Tribune.  At least one parent whose child is participating in a clinical trial for a treatment for spinal muscular atrophy type 2 is reporting what she believes is some success.  The trial, conducted by Salt Lake City neurologist Kathryn Swoboda, is looking into using the drugs carnitine and valproic acid to treat kids with the intermediate form of SMA.  Slated to wrap up in November, the study will help determine whether the drugs help salvage the nerves of children who have Type 2 SMA.

The parent quoted in the article said her son was stronger and has better mobility than before starting the medication.

Here’s an excerpt from the article…

For the past six months, all 90 children participating in the study have been on the drugs. During the first six months, however, half were on placebos. Neither the patients and their families nor Swoboda know which children - at six sites around the country - received the drugs in the first six months.

Valproic acid, approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat epilepsy, psychiatric disorders, migraine headaches and pain, has also been shown to increase the protein critical to the health of motor neurons, or nerve cells in the spinal cord. The carnitine - a nutrient that helps the body turn fat into fuel - replaces that which is depleted by the valproic acid.

You can read the entire article on the Salt Lake Tribune website.