• SKIP TO CONTENT
  • SKIP NAVIGATION
  • Patient Resources
    • COVID-19 Patient Resource Center
    • Clinical Trials
    • Search Clinical Trials
    • Patient Notification System
    • What is Clinical Research?
    • Volunteering for a Clinical Trial
    • Understanding Informed Consent
    • Useful Resources
    • FDA Approved Drugs
  • Professional Resources
    • Research Center Profiles
    • Clinical Trial Listings
    • Market Research
    • FDA Approved Drugs
    • Training Guides
    • Books
    • eLearning
    • Events
    • Newsletters
    • White Papers
    • SOPs
    • eCFR and Guidances
  • White Papers
  • Trial Listings
  • Advertise
  • COVID-19
  • iConnect
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Home » CureDuchenne Ventures launched to accelerate drug discovery and development

CureDuchenne Ventures launched to accelerate drug discovery and development

September 27, 2013
CenterWatch Staff

National nonprofit CureDuchenne has launched CureDuchenne Ventures, a new initiative to identify and develop a robust pipeline of therapies to treat Duchenne, the most common and lethal form of muscular dystrophy. This drug discovery and development initiative is based on CureDuchenne's venture philanthropy model, in which the organization provides early stage funding to biotechnology, pharmaceutical companies and academic investigators to help develop breakthrough therapies to treat Duchenne.

Currently, there is no treatment for Duchenne. Duchenne is a progressive muscle-wasting disease that impacts approximately 1 in 3,500 boys. Boys with Duchenne are usually diagnosed before the age of five and are in a wheelchair by age 12; most don't survive their mid-20s.

CureDuchenne Ventures will focus on venture philanthropists, foundations and donors with an interest in scientific research for rare diseases, such as Duchenne. The first research project to be funded through CureDuchenne Ventures is a collaboration with biopharmaceutical company Lexicon Pharmaceuticals. Lexicon's experimental drug, LX2931, which is in clinical development as a potential treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmune disease, currently is being evaluated for its potential to initiate muscle regeneration in studies with the mdx mouse model of Duchenne. CureDuchenne plans to raise $5 million to support clinical development of LX2931 as a potential treatment for Duchenne, with clinical studies slated to begin as early as 2014.

"Multiple technologies exist to repair, restore or replace the missing protein in Duchenne; however, the limiting factor in getting treatments out of the laboratory and into the clinic is funding," said Michael G. Kelly, chief scientific officer, CureDuchenne. "CureDuchenne Ventures will power our ability moving forward to support the most promising therapies and ensure that multiple avenues of research are explored. Multiple therapeutic strategies, working together, will be needed to effectively treat the whole disease, and the purpose of our drug discovery and development initiative is to identify and support those programs that would critically impact the various components of the disease."

CureDuchenne already has raised more than $11 million toward promising research aimed at treating and curing Duchenne. CureDuchenne has funded seven research projects that have advanced to human clinical trials. CureDuchenne's research investments have leveraged more than $100 million from biotech and pharmaceutical companies, and other foundations to fund research leading to a cure.

Upcoming Events

  • 16Feb

    Fundamentals of FDA Inspection Management: Reduce Anxiety, Increase Inspection Success

  • 21May

    WCG MAGI Clinical Research Conference – 2023 East

Featured Products

  • Spreadsheet Validation: Tools and Techniques to Make Data in Excel Compliant

    Spreadsheet Validation: Tools and Techniques to Make Data in Excel Compliant

  • Surviving an FDA GCP Inspection

    Surviving an FDA GCP Inspection: Resources for Investigators, Sponsors, CROs and IRBs

Featured Stories

  • SurveywBlueBackground-360x240.png

    Sites Name Tech Acceptance as Essential Factor in Selection of Sponsors, Survey Finds

  • TrendsInsights2023-360x240.png

    WCG Clinical Research Trends and Insights for 2023, Part Two

  • TimeMoneyEffort-360x240.png

    Time is Money and So Is Effort, Budgeting Experts Say

  • TrendsInsights2023A-360x240.png

    WCG Clinical Research Trends and Insights for 2023, Part Three

Standard Operating Procedures for Risk-Based Monitoring of Clinical Trials

The information you need to adapt your monitoring plan to changing times.

Learn More Here
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Data

Footer Logo

300 N. Washington St., Suite 200, Falls Church, VA 22046, USA

Phone 617.948.5100 – Toll free 866.219.3440

Copyright © 2023. All Rights Reserved. Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing