AVI BioPharma's genetic disorder drug gets fast-track status

Dec 3 (Reuters) - AVI BioPharma Inc (AVII.O) said U.S. regulators granted fast-track status to its experimental drug AVI-4658 for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a genetic disorder that affects children.

The company plans to initiate a clinical trial for the drug, which was recently granted orphan drug status, by mid-2008 to evaluate its safety and potential efficacy in ambulatory DMD patients, AVI BioPharma said in a statement. (Reporting by Shikhar Balwani in Bangalore; Editing by Anupama Dwivedi)