SOLVE FSHD Announces New Collaborative Research Grants to Accelerate Novel Potential Therapeutics for Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD)

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 11, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SOLVE FSHD, a venture philanthropy organization catalyzing innovation and removing barriers to accelerate new therapies for FSHD, announced today that it has awarded grants totalling USD $1.4M to four new collaborative research projects that address critical gaps in FSHD therapeutics, biology and/or biomarkers.

The four grant recipients represent relationships formed between academic and industry researchers during SOLVE FSHD’s inaugural conference in Whistler, British Columbia. SOLVE FSHD’s focus and venture philanthropic funding model supports the organization’s goal of generating new approaches to identify or evaluate therapeutics to find a cure for FSHD. These projects demonstrate how the expertise of lead investigators can be enhanced through strategic collaboration with other experts working on areas of mutual interest. All funding decisions were independently made by SOLVE FSHD and its designated review panel.

The researchers receiving the combined funding of USD $1.4M include:

• Dr. Scott Harper (Nationwide Children’s Hospital) and Dr. Robert Grange (Virginia Tech) for their project to assess skeletal muscle torque as a functional outcome measure in the TIC-DUX4 mouse model of FSHD
• Dr. Ali Ozes (Altay Therapeutics) and Drs. Jeff and Joel Chamberlain (University of Washington School of Medicine) for their project investigating the effect of STAT3 inhibitors on muscle pathology and fibrosis in a preclinical model of FSHD
• Drs. Darren Hwee and Michael Coronado (Cytokinetics) and Dr. Peter Jones (University of Nevada, Reno) for their study to assess whether Fast Skeletal Muscle Troponin Activators (FSTAs) can improve muscle function in preclinical models of FSHD
• Dr. Peter Zammit (King’s College London), Drs. Fabio Rossi and Martin Hirst (University of British Columbia) for their project on defining the epigenomic landscape in FSHD and the role of fibroadipogenic progenitor cells in FSHD

“We wanted to incentivize new collaborations among researchers with complementary expertise, focus areas and interest to help us find a ‘solve’ for FSHD,” said Dr. Eva Chin, Executive Director of SOLVE FSHD. “These collaborative projects fit both with the mission and vision of SOLVE FSHD and the philosophy of our Founder, Chip Wilson.”

“By its nature, there are a variety of approaches to potential therapeutics for FSHD,” said Chip Wilson, Founder and Chairman of SOLVE FSHD. “We believe that fostering collaborations between leading minds across different scientific fields can only be beneficial in accelerating potential treatments to help those with FSHD.”

About SOLVE FSHD
SOLVE FSHD is a venture philanthropic organization established to catalyze innovation and accelerate key research in finding a cure for FSHD. Established by renowned Canadian entrepreneur and philanthropist, Chip Wilson, widely known as the founder and part owner of various technical apparel companies including lululemon and Amer Sports, which holds brands such as Arc’teryx, Salomon and Wilson Sports. The Wilson family has committed $100 million to kick-start funding into projects that support the organization’s mission to find a cure for FSHD by 2027. The goal of SOLVE FSHD is to find a solution that can slow down or stop muscle degeneration, increase muscle regeneration and strength, and improve the quality of life for those living with FSHD. If you want to find out more about our efforts at Solve FSHD, please see our website – https://solvefshd.com/

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