Novartis said on Thursday that its experimental drug, del-brax, showed promise in an early-to-mid-stage study in patients with a type of genetic muscle disorder characterized by slowly progressive muscle weakness.

Treatment for Genetic Muscle Disorder

The Swiss drugmaker said the drug lowered two blood markers linked to the disease and showed reduced signs of muscle damage in patients with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy. Novartis estimates that the disorder affects about 45,000 to 87,000 people in the U.S. and EU.

The company plans to discuss the data with health regulators around the world, while a late-stage study of the drug is currently enrolling patients. The drug’s safety profile was consistent with previous results, the company said.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.