FDA advisory panel narrowly approves Sarepta's Duchenne gene therapy for accelerated approval.

FDA advisers have narrowly recommended approval of the first gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, developed by Sarepta Therapeutics. The treatment involves a single infusion of viruses that has been genetically modified to carry a gene to patients' muscles to produce a miniature version of a protein called dystrophin. While the FDA is not bound by the recommendations of its outside advisers, it usually follows them. The agency is expected to decide by the end of May.