Capricor Drug Slows Duchenne Muscle Decline by 76% in Extension Study
New open-label data show deramiocel significantly slowed upper limb deterioration in DMD patients who crossed over from placebo.
Capricor Therapeutics reported that its experimental therapy deramiocel slowed upper limb function decline by 76% in Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients who had previously spent a year on placebo, according to data presented at the 2026 World Muscle Society Congress.
The findings emerged from a 24-month crossover analysis within the HOPE-3 open-label extension trial. Patients who had received no active treatment during an initial placebo period served as their own historical controls once they switched to deramiocel, providing a direct before-and-after comparison within the same individuals.
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The self-controlled design strengthens the signal by reducing variability typically introduced when comparing separate patient groups. The 76% reduction in the rate of upper limb decline represents a clinically meaningful outcome for a disease in which loss of arm and hand function severely limits daily independence for affected individuals.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a rare, progressive genetic disorder affecting predominantly boys that leads to muscle wasting and, ultimately, cardiac and respiratory failure. Upper limb function is a critical endpoint in later-stage DMD trials because many patients lose the ability to walk early in the disease course, making arm strength a primary measure of independence.
Capricor has been advancing deramiocel as a cell-therapy approach targeting DMD's inflammatory and degenerative pathways. Continue reading at GlobeNewswire - Industry News on Financial Services.
