Experimental drug to treat fragile X syndrome

An experimental drug designed to treat a genetic condition that is the most common cause of inherited mental retardation helped patients develop better social skills, according to a small study published in a major medical journal Wednesday.

The drug is still in an early stage of development, but its success gives researchers courage to move on to larger trials that may lead to a filing for approval with the Food and Drug Administration.

The drug holds promise for the future treatment of fragile X syndrome, the most common form of inherited intellectual disability in boys, said Robert T. Schultz, Director of the Center for Autism Research at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

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