176: BBP-418 and the Changing Treatment Landscape of LGMD

Welcome to the *NeurologyLive*® Mind Moments® podcast. Tune in to hear leaders in neurology sound off on topics that impact your clinical practice. In this special episode of *Mind Moments*, released in recognition of Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy (LGMD) Awareness Day on September 30, **Katherine Mathews, MD**, professor of pediatrics and neurology at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, joins the podcast to discuss the evolving treatment landscape for LGMD and the potential significance of BBP-418, an investigational oral therapy for LGMD2I/R9. With an FDA decision expected by November 27, 2026, BBP-418 could become the first approved therapy for LGMD2I/R9 and potentially the first treatment approved for any form of LGMD. Mathews breaks down the therapy's FKRP-targeted mechanism, findings from the phase 3 FORTIFY study, and the challenges of conducting clinical trials across genetically diverse and slowly progressive forms of LGMD. She also discusses what a first approval could mean for the broader LGMD community, considerations for bringing patients back into specialty care, and research priorities that could accelerate development of future therapies. **Looking for more Neuromuscular discussion? Check out the *NeurologyLive*®** Neuromuscular clinical focus page**.** Episode Breakdown: - **1:15** – BBP-418's mechanism and therapeutic rationale for FKRP-related LGMD2I/R9 - **4:00** – FORTIFY findings supporting BBP-418's potential effects on muscle and pulmonary function - **7:50** – Why genetic heterogeneity and slow progression complicate LGMD clinical trials - **10:10** – Neurology News Minute - **12:45**– What a first FDA-approved LGMD therapy could mean for patients and clinicians - **15:40** – Research priorities for accelerating clinical trials and developing future LGMD therapies The stories featured in this week's Neurology News Minute, which will give you quick updates on the following developments in neurology, are further detailed here: - # CHMP Recommends EU Approval for Ocrelizumab in Pediatric Relapsing MS - # SKY-0515 Shows Sustained Benefit at 15 Months in Huntington Disease - # FDA Approves Tavapadon for the Treatment of Parkinson Disease Thanks for listening to the *NeurologyLive*® Mind Moments® podcast. To support the show, be sure to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. For more neurology news and expert-driven content, visit neurologylive.com.