Prolactin for spinal muscular atrophy

Ottawa researchers have shown that the peptide hormone prolactin increased survival of mice with spinal muscular atrophy.¹ The researchers now plan to optimize their dosing protocol to see if they can further boost efficacy. The findings suggest that recombinant human prolactin, which Sanofi's Genzyme Corp. unit had shelved, could have potential in spinal muscular atrophy.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by abnormally low levels of the survival of motor neuron (SMN) protein in motor neurons, which lead to neurological dysfunction and muscle atrophy...