A research team led by Dr. Celia Dominguez at CHDI has identified a new method to track the presence of toxic mutant huntingtin protein in an HD brain. The most recent publication from HDBuzz highlights this exciting potential new biomarker for HD. In people with HD, the mutant copy of the huntingtin gene causes mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT) to be produced, which aggregates into toxic clumps of mHTT. These protein clumps are not visible in most brain scans, but a new molecular tool may permit researchers to tag these protein clumps with a chemical marker called a radiolabel that will be visible on a PET scan. Because PET scans are noninvasive and able to be performed throughout a person’s life and this tag would be specific to HD, this novel method could help scientist determine the effects of experimental huntingtin-lowering therapies. A clinical trial is currently being developed to investigate whether this tracer may be useful in humans. To learn more, click here.
HDSA publishes annual research report, “The Marker”
As 2021 winds to a close, check out HDSA’s annual publication of “The Marker” to review another year of progress in HD research. From HDSA sponsored research projects to latest updates on the HD research pipeline, this edition sheds light on the twists and turns of this year’s research landscape and previews the road ahead. Read the full version here.
Neurocrine Announces positive topline results in KINECT-HD study
In a recent press release, Neurocrine Biosciences announced positive topline data from the Phase 3 study, KINECT-HD. KINECT-HD tested the safety, efficacy, and tolerability of valbenazine for treatment of chorea in HD. The study met its primary endpoint of reducing chorea movements in study participants affected by HD. More data from the study is expected to be released in 2022.
2021 HDSA Research Webinars now available on YouTube
If you missed HDSA’s final research webinar of the year, “Ask the Scientist…Anything” with the editors of HD Buzz, you can find the recorded version of this session and all of this year’s research webinars on HDSA’s YouTube channel here. Stay tuned for more research webinars and other HDSA programming in the New Year.
