Gaithersburg, Md., February 28, 2022 – miRecule, Inc. today announces it has won a joint Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS) grant in collaboration with Dr. Robert Bloch at the University of Maryland, Baltimore for $100,000. This collaborative partnership is designed to develop translational biomarkers for Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) and test miRecule’s novel therapy in Dr. Bloch’s animal model of the disease. FSHD is a genetic neuromuscular disease affecting both adults and children, for which there is currently no cure or effective treatment.
miRecule is actively developing a novel RNA maintenance therapy (MC-DX4) for FSHD, to prevent muscle loss safely and sustainably in at-risk and clinically diagnosed FSHD patients.
“This MIPS grant will help accelerate the preclinical development of MC-DX4, as well as our ability to design and execute comprehensive clinical trials in the coming years,” said Dr. Anthony Saleh, CEO of miRecule. “We are extremely excited to collaborate with a true expert in muscle pathophysiology such as Bob in this important effort.”
“Our team is delighted to partner with miRecule,” says Dr. Bloch. “The opportunity to quantitatively assess the beneficial effects of novel therapeutics is a crucial step in developing novel therapies for these underserved patients,”
The Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS) program is an initiative of the Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (Mtech) in the A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland. MIPS projects feature a collaboration between University System of Maryland faculty members and Maryland-based companies. Projects are jointly funded by both MIPS and participating ventures. All funding goes to the university research.
miRecule is also a portfolio company for the Maryland Momentum Fund. “We are very supportive of the miRecule team developing a best-in-class RNA maintenance therapy for FSHD, and we are excited about this new partnership with UMB” said Claire Broido Johnson, Managing Director of the Maryland Momentum Fund.
See the MIPS post here:
http://www.mtech.umd.edu/news/news_story.php?id=14727