The Summer 2016 issue of Compass is now available online.
As part of our most recent round of funding, we’ve announced $704,000 in funding for four new drug discovery grants.
Individuals with SMA don’t produce survival motor neuron (SMN) protein at high enough levels due to a mutation in the survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene. Two of the four grants announced will investigate ways of treating SMA that address this loss of SMN protein.
The other two grants—totaling $604,000—will look at the other systems, pathways and processes in the body that are affected by SMA. The hope is that these different types of treatments will eventually be used in combination with each other to treat all types, ages and stages of SMA.
This issue introduces the four grantees and gives background on each of their projects: including what the project is, how the research will be conducted, and what the impact will be for those affected by SMA.
This issue also provides updates regarding our SMA Drug Pipeline, and $2.5 million in new planned research funding.
The pipeline update includes two new Cure SMA-funded programs, along with the overall number of active programs, pharmaceutical partners, programs in clinical trials, all programs to date, and the breadth of potential treatment approaches for SMA.
The $2.5 million in new planned research funding will support continued funding for basic research, greater funding for clinical and regulatory research, and greater funding for patient care initiatives.
For More Information
Check out the grant announcements in our news section for additional information about four grantees: