Marisa Wexler, MS, senior science writer —

Marisa holds a Master of Science in cellular and molecular pathology from the University of Pittsburgh, where she studied novel genetic drivers of ovarian cancer. Her areas of expertise include cancer biology, immunology, and genetics, and she has worked as a science writing and communications intern for the Genetics Society of America.

Articles by Marisa Wexler

Case Report Suggests Signs of PWS During Pregnancy

During pregnancy, Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) may manifest as an excess of fluid around the developing fetus coupled with restricted fetal growth and decreased fetal movement, a new report indicates. These signs should alert clinicians to consider testing for the possibility of a PWS diagnosis, the researchers wrote. The…

Study Links Pituitary Gland Changes in PWS to Behavioral Symptoms

People with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) have smaller pituitary glands than their typically-developing peers, according to data from a small study. The findings also suggest that altered pituitary size is associated with behavioral abnormalities in PWS. Results were published in the journal Biomarkers in Neuropsychiatry, in the study “…

Sleep Issues Common, Rarely Addressed, White Paper Asserts

People with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) and other diseases commonly experience sleep problems, and the problems are rarely addressed effectively by healthcare professionals, according to a white paper published by Harmony Biosciences. Excessive daytime sleepiness, or EDS, is a common symptom experienced by people with rare diseases…

Soleno Looking to Expand Potential Therapies That Work Like DCCR

Soleno Therapeutics has partnered with Vanderbilt University to develop therapies that work as ATP-dependent potassium channel activators for rare diseases, similar to the diazoxide choline controlled release (DCCR) tablets the company thinks might treat Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). ATP-dependent potassium (or KATP) channels are proteins present in multiple body tissues.

Tonix Licenses Intranasal Treatment Technology From Inserm

Tonix Pharmaceuticals has licensed technology from the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) that it aims to use for treating failure to thrive in Prader-Willi syndrome. The license will allow Tonix to expand its intranasal — administered via the nose — potentiated oxytocin program to…

INV-101 Granted FDA Rare Pediatric Disease Designation

Inversago Pharma‘s INV-101 has been granted rare pediatric disease (RPD) designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). This designation is given to potential medications targeting serious diseases that primarily affect less than 200,000 Americans ages 18 or younger. If the…