(Reuters) – Shares of drug developer Dyne Therapeutics doubled in premarket trading on Wednesday after its experimental therapy for a muscle-wasting disorder showed promise in a small, early-stage trial.
In an early-to-mid-stage study, Dyne’s therapy increased dystrophin protein levels by 0.28% at six months in six patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which is caused by the lack of the protein needed to help keep muscles intact.
The company said that patients treated with a standard-of-care drug made by Sarepta Therapeutics, Exondys 51, showed a 0.06% change in dystrophin levels at 6 months.
In a separate study, another experimental drug called DYNE-101 helped increase muscle concentration in patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1, another muscle-wasting disease that impacts mobility, breathing, heart function, speech, and digestion.
Waltham, Massachusetts-based Dyne had a market capitalization of $801.6 million as of Tuesday’s closing price of $13.06. Its shares were trading at $26.51 at 0712 ET.
(Reporting by Puyaan Singh; Editing by Tasim Zahid)
