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The funding will bolster research and development of life-changing therapies and cures across a range of neuromuscular diseases.
Lynn O'Connor Vos, President & CEO
FREMONT, CA: The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) recently announced 25 new grants totaling over $6.6 million for research focused on a variety of neuromuscular diseases (NMDs), including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD), Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), inclusion body myositis (IBM), limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD), mitochondrial myopathy, myotonic dystrophy (DM), spinal-bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).
The grant funding round reinforces the unwavering commitment of the MDA toward the progress of NMD research and brings its research investment to over $1 billion. Most of its grants have been focused on research to uncover new treatment and cures. The latest group of awards will bolster the promising research on a variety of NMDs, while also improving the design and implementation of clinical trials.
The funding will help in addressing the key challenges and gaps in the knowledge regarding the diseases to streamline therapy development, building upon the advances that have occurred in the last few years. The funded projects are designed to boost research discoveries in multiple areas. The grants will also back the studies most likely to enhance the understanding of the causes of NMDs and create new opportunities to develop effective treatments.
Lynn O’Connor Vos, President & CEO of MDA, said, “We fund research that is the most innovative, by both proven senior researchers and promising young investigators. Our $1 billion research investment has already paid off and led to six neuromuscular therapies. Our current investment in a range of promising areas, including genetic medicine, will yield the cures of tomorrow.”
The association is set on paving the way for the cadre of promising early-stage scientists with the potential of making important discoveries of the future. The latest funding round comprised the awarding of five development grants to investigators that are at the brink of becoming independent investigators, along with 20 other research grants to established and independent investigators.
MDA strives to transform the lives of people who have muscular dystrophy, ALS, and other NMDs through innovations in science and healthcare. It is the largest source of funding for NMD research outside the federal government and has worked continuously toward the acceleration of therapy and cure development.
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