London: Fulcrum Therapeutics said on Thursday its experimental drug to treat a type of muscle disorder failed to meet the main goal in a late-stage study, sending the company’s shares down nearly 70 per cent before the bell.
The company was testing its drug, losmapimod, in 260 patients with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) who received either the therapy or a placebo for 48 weeks.
At the end of treatment period, patients who received the drug did not show improvement on a measure of shoulder and proximal arm mobility – the main goal of the study. The study also failed to achieve statistical significance on any of its secondary goals.
In light of the results, the company said it plans to suspend testing of losmapimod in FSHD patients.
FSHD is a genetic disorder that causes muscle weakness and wasting in the face, shoulder blades and upper arms. The estimated prevalence of the disease is about 4 cases per 100,000 individuals, according to the Muscle Dystrophy Association. (Reporting by Bhanvi Satija in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay Kishore)
