As mothers of children with this disease, we have wept helplessly in recent months as friends — fellow members of a club we never asked to join — said goodbye to their sons, the babies they once held in their arms, whose dreams they held in their hearts until Duchenne robbed them of working muscles or a healthy future.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is planning to ask Sarepta Therapeutics to voluntarily stop all shipments of its gene therapy Elevidys, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday.

Shares of Sarepta Therapeutics plunged more than 30% on Friday as the future of its approved gene therapy appeared at risk. Sarepta has reported three patient deaths related to its gene therapies.

The first patient has been dosed in a clinical trial testing Sardocor's one-time gene therapy for cardiomyopathy associated with Duchenne MD.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will request Sarepta Therapeutics to voluntarily stop all shipments of its gene therapy, Elevidys, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday. Shares of the company extended losses and were down nearly 35% in afternoon trading,