Speaking of confusing corporate communications

Yesterday, Sarepta Therapeutics’ share price dropped after a report that a patient in one of the company’s trials experienced a serious side effect, something the company described as “erroneous.”

The issue stems from Sarepta’s ongoing study of a gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. A report of one child in the trial needing to be hospitalized popped up on the FDA’s public database of drug side effects, which sent Sarepta shares down about 13% before trading got halted.

That might seem like a disproportionate reaction, but safety issues have plagued DMD gene therapies under development at Pfizer and Solid Biosciences, which might explain investor skittishness about Sarepta.

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