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SMA is a genetic, motor neuron disease characterized by the wasting ofskeletal muscles. Caused by progressive degeneration of nerve cells in thespinal cord, the disease leads to increasing muscular weakness and atrophy.It is estimated that approximately 1 in 6,000 to 1 in 10,000 infants are bornannually worldwide with SMA. SMA is often compared to polio because the samespinal cord cells are attacked in each disease. Over time, patients afflictedby this disease continue to lose muscle control and strength, progressivelyleading to inability to walk, stand, sit up and breathe.
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Founded in 2003, the Spinal Muscular Atrophy Foundation is a nonprofitorganization dedicated to accelerating progress towards a treatment and curefor spinal muscular atrophy through targeted funding of clinical research andnovel drug development efforts. Since its inception, the Foundation hasawarded over $50 million in sponsored research agreements. In addition, theFoundation is committed to raising awareness and generating support forincreased research efforts in SMA among the leaders of industry andgovernment.
For more than 16 years Assay Designs has supplied the worldwide biomedicalresearch community with immunoanalytical assay solutions for the precisequantification of biomarkers in a variety of sample matrices and species.Since 2005 ADI also provides the full spectrum of Stressgen(R) immunologicalreagents such as antibodies and proteins, to aid drug discovery and basicresearch. Assay Designs offers customers one-stop-shop custom developmentservices from antibody and recombinant protein production to the development,validation, and manufacturing of biomarker assays, providing a seamlesstransition and scale up from pre-clinical to clinical applications.
The collaboration with SMAF is in alignment with Assay Designs' mission toprovide researchers with high quality reagents and assays to expedite theirefforts in developing new cures and improving the quality of life forpatients.
About Assay Designs, Inc.
Based in Ann Arbor, MI, Assay Designs develops and manufacturesimmunoassay (ELISA) kits, luminescent reagents, antibodies, proteins, andextracts used for life sciences research. The company markets these productsunder the "Assay Designs" and "Stressgen" brand names. Researchers use thecompany's products to detect and quantify molecules that are important ininflammation, cell signaling, and cellular stress.
SOURCE Assay Designs, Inc.
