Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy or OPMD is a rare progressive muscle-wasting disease caused by a mutation in a gene called PABPN1 (poly(A)-binding protein nuclear 1), for which there is currently no effective drug therapy. The disease is characterized by swallowing difficulties (dysphagia), limb weakness, and eyelid drooping (ptosis). Dysphagia worsens over time and can lead to chronic choking, regurgitation, aspiration pneumonia, and in severe cases, death.
The company we are profiling today is Australia-based Benitec Biopharma Inc. (BNTC), which is developing a treatment for OPMD.
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May 01, 2026 15:54 ET Central banks dominated the economics news flow this week with almost all major ones announcing their latest policy decisions and many boosted expectations for a rate hike in June. In other news, several countries released the preliminary data for first quarter economic growth. In the U.S., comments by Fed Chair Jerome Powell were also in focus as his term ends this month.