This open-label study evaluates casimersen and golodirsen in DMD patients with rare single exon duplications (exon 45 or 53). Over 48 weeks, dystrophin levels increased from 0.94% to 5.1%, with dystrophin-positive fibers rising from 14% to 50%. RT-PCR confirmed exon skipping, while pulmonary and cardiac functions remained stable. No major safety concerns emerged, but longer trials with larger cohorts are needed to assess long-term clinical benefits. These findings highlight exon skipping as a targeted therapy for rare DMD mutations.

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This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated five randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on exon-skipping therapies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Analyzing 322 patients, the study assessed eteplirsen and drisapersen using 6MWT and NSAA scores. Results showed no significant improvement over placebo. Drisapersen (6 mg/kg) provided minor benefits but had renal toxicity risks, while eteplirsen showed fewer side effects but lacked robust efficacy data. The study calls for long-term trials to confirm exon skipping’s clinical impact.

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Exon-skipping therapy aims to restore dystrophin production in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) by using antisense oligonucleotides (AONs) to bypass mutations. Eteplirsen and viltolarsen target exon 51, producing a truncated but functional dystrophin protein. While promising, challenges remain, including low dystrophin levels and variable patient responses. Gene therapy and stop codon read-through drugs offer alternative strategies. Early intervention and combination therapies may improve outcomes for DMD patients.

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This phase 2, open-label trial evaluated AVI-4658 (PMO) therapy in 19 boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), assessing exon 51 skipping and dystrophin restoration. The drug was well tolerated, showing dose-dependent dystrophin expression, with significant improvements at higher doses. Increased dystrophin correlated with protein localization and reduced inflammation, though responses varied. Findings support AVI-4658 as a potential disease-modifying treatment, emphasizing the need for long-term trials to confirm clinical benefits.

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This study explores direct reprogramming of DMD fibroblasts into myotubes as a non-invasive model for testing antisense oligonucleotide (AO)-mediated exon skipping. Using MyoD gene induction, researchers converted fibroblasts into muscle cells, then applied phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PMOs) to skip exons 45–55, restoring dystrophin expression. This scalable, reproducible method provides an alternative to muscle biopsies, advancing DMD drug development.

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This article explains exon skipping, a genetic technique for treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) by restoring the dystrophin protein using antisense oligonucleotides.

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