News

Japanese infants with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) have lower levels of the thyroid hormone thyroxine compared with healthy infants, according to a new study. However, the levels of thyroxine, also known as free T4 (FT4), increased with age, with no differences detected between toddlers with or without PWS,…

Lallemand Health Solutions has partnered with the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association (PWSA) to support Running for Research, an initiative to raise funds for PWS research at the University of Florida (UF). Running for Research has set a fundraising goal of at least $40,000, and will take place…

Inversago Pharma has obtained $35 million in financing to advance the development of therapies for disorders such as Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). The investment will support studies of INV-101, the company’s lead compound, and other selected compounds for the treatment of metabolic and fibrotic (scarring) disorders. INV-101 is an…

Researchers in Russia have published the first detailed description of a prenatal Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) diagnosis based on the results of a noninvasive genetic test. The study, “Prenatal diagnosis of Prader‐Willi syndrome due to uniparental disomy with NIPS: Case report and literature review,” was published in…

An exercise intervention program can improve bone health in children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) and potentially lower the risk of osteoporosis later in life, a six-month clinical trial shows. While improvements were reported in only some bones, and not in markers of bone turnover, researchers believe that longer intervention…

The types and levels of bacteria and fungi in the gastrointestinal tract are different in children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) compared with their peers without the syndrome, a study has found. These differences may be linked to the excessive appetite seen in PWS, but this association needs to…

Same But Different, a U.K. nonprofit that uses the arts to bring communities together, is holding a calendar photography competition to raise awareness for rare diseases. Under the theme “A Glimmer of Hope,” the competition is a means to “visually express the hope that exists for people affected by…

The Foundation for Prader-Willi Research (FPWR) is hosting a video competition to help spread awareness of Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) and raise funds for research. The FPWR is seeking inspiring stories from the PWS community in the form of short videos, of one-to-five minutes in length. Possible…

A single, wearable motion sensor placed on the lower back successfully detected poor trunk stability and walking symmetry in adults with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), a study showed. These findings suggest that this technology may provide a simple, low-cost, and ecologic way to collect and analyze data on PWS patients’…

Raremark, an online rare disease patient community, has launched a digital platform called Xperiome, aimed at streamlining the search for new medicines for rare disorders and incorporating more patient input into research. The goal is to help the pharmaceutical industry deliver innovative new therapies faster and smarter, the…