Experimental drug helping people with Fragile X Syndrome

Some people with Fragile X Syndrome have shown substantial improvements in the behaviours associated with the condition during a small clinical trial for a new experimental drug, it has been reported.

According to the New York Times, the drug, which has been developed by Novartis after three decades of genetic research, benefitted some of the patients taking part in the research.

Dr Mark C. Fishman, president of the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, said the drug is likely to be years away from being commercially available and cautioned people against feeling too optimistic about the results.

“We have been reluctant to make this public because we still need to do more experiments, do them correctly and in a bigger way,” Dr. Fishman told the news provider.

“But our group feels pretty good about the data,” he added.

The syndrome, a genetic disorder that may cause some forms of autism, is the most common inherited form of a learning disability, according to the Fragile X Society.