Patricia Inácio, PhD, science writer —

Treatment with growth hormone for eight years led to a lower spine curvature in children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) who developed scoliosis, a preliminary Dutch study reports. The research, “Effects of eight years growth hormone treatment on the onset and progression of scoliosis in children with Prader-Willi syndrome,”…

The gut microbiome — the microbial community in the gut — of people with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is more diverse than those of individuals with common obesity, and it may protect them from insulin resistance, a condition that often precedes type 2 diabetes, a study reports. The study, “…

Newborns with Prader-Willi syndrome often have a lower birth weight and can be shorter than newborns who do not have this rare disease, a study conducted in Italy reports. Recognition of these body features may help clinicians in diagnosing the syndrome earlier, and in beginning suitable support and treatment measures…

Saniona will continue to develop Tesomet (tesofensine/metoprolol) as a potential therapy for Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), with results from a Phase 2a clinical study expected to be reported soon. The company has completed a rights issue in which it sold some of Saniona’s shares, resulting in gross revenue of SEK…

Inhibiting an enzyme involved in Prader Willi syndrome (PWS) can help rescue the activity of specific genes in neurons, and halt disease, a lab study suggests. The study “Small molecule inhibitors of G9a reactivate the maternal PWS genes in Prader-Willi-Syndrome patient derived neural stem cells and…

Growth hormone treatment in children younger than 2 with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is safe, reduces body fat, and is linked with earlier ability to walk, a new study reports. The study, “Safety and effectiveness of growth hormone therapy in infants with Prader-Willi syndrome younger than 2 years: a prospective…

Pitolisant, an investigational anti-sleepiness therapy in the U.S., may help reduce daytime sleepiness and improve cognitive function in children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), a case series suggests. The study, “Cognitive Improvements in Children with Prader-Willi Syndrome Following Pitolisant Treatment — Patient Reports,” was published in the Journal of…

A research project aiming to uncover whether awakening “sleeping” genes could overcome the genetic errors underlying Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) and lessen disease severity, has earned funding from the Prader-Willi Research Foundation of Australia and the U.S. Foundation for Prader-Willi Research. “[W]e hope they might help people with Prader-Willi syndrome by…

Soleno Therapeutics presented data supporting the clinical benefits of its treatment candidate diazoxide choline controlled-release (DCCR) in patients with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). Specifically, researchers showed that DCCR reduces hyperphagia — an abnormally increased appetite and a hallmark of PWS — by triggering potassium channels in certain nerve cells. Moreover, DCCR was as…

A variation in the growth hormone receptor (GHR) gene, specifically the lack of a coding sequence called exon 3, does not seem to increase the risk for scoliosis in Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) patients, a small study reports. Exon 3 in the GHR gene was previously shown to be associated with increased growth…