A new therapy developed by Fulton Schools Professors Rosa Krajmalnik-Brown and James Adams offers hope to those with autism spectrum disorder who often are afflicted with chronic gastrointestinal symptoms associated with the disorder. The therapy, called Microbiota Transplant Therapy, has been granted a patent by the U.S. Patent Office, which is an important step in developing new medication that would be approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating the core symptoms of autism. The patent approval also opens the door for pharmaceutical companies to invest in conducting further clinical trials on the new treatment. Krajmalnik-Brown, Adams and their team in the ASU Biodesign Center for Health Through Microbiomes will continue their own tests of the treatment with both adults and children with autism.