Children with a deadly muscle-wasting disease are regaining the ability to walk and potentially avoiding life-threatening complications, thanks to a new treatment developed by researchers at Perth’s Murdoch University.

The treatment, developed by Steve Wilton and Sue Fletcher, targets the genetic defect responsible for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a condition that affects around one in 3,500 boys.

For bringing their drug from laboratory bench to bedside, Steve and Sue have won the 2013 Australian Museum NSW Health Jamie Callachor Eureka Prize for Medical Research Translation.

Photo: Steve Wilton and Sue Fletcher’s drug therapy is helping children who suffer from Duchenne muscular dystrophy stay active.

Credit: Murdoch University