Duchenne UK awarded researchers from Minneapolis-based University of Minnesota Medical School $945,000 to advance their work around a stem cell-based therapy to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
The grant supports efforts around the preclinical discovery phase of analysis. Patients who suffer from Duchenne muscular dystrophy cannot develop a protein vital for strength-building, and gradually suffer from muscle deterioration. The stem cell treatment can be used to replace the diseased muscle tissue with healthy muscle. It also creates healthy myofibers that create proteins.
If the preclinical phase is successful, researchers will begin a phase 1 study.