Fight SMA Awards $250K Grant to Researcher at OSU

A nonprofit dedicated to developing a treatment for the deadly childhood crippler spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), is awarding a $250,000 research grant to Dr. Brian Kaspa of The Ohio State University.
By: Fight SMA
 
May 19, 2010 - PRLog -- Richmond, Virginia-based FightSMA, a nonprofit dedicated to developing a treatment for the deadly childhood crippler spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), is awarding a $250,000 research grant to Dr. Brian Kaspar, a principal investigator at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and associate professor of The Ohio State University.

The grant will support safety and toxicity studies for AAV(-9), a potential “delivery system” for gene therapy for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (http://www.fightsma.org/index.php?what_is_sma).

“Our SMA gene therapy program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and The Ohio State University continues to show great promise for treating SMA patients,” said Dr. Kaspar. “With this award, we will be able to test our therapy for potential safety or toxicity issues and provide important information for the regulatory process as we advance our program to the clinic in a swift and safe manner. We are all very thankful for the support of FightSMA.”

The grant has been made possible by funding both from FightSMA (http://www.fightsma.org) and from its associated partner organization, The Gwendolyn Strong Foundation (http://www.gwendolynstrongfoundation.org). “We are tremendously excited about the potential for gene therapy in SMA and our continuing collaboration with The Gwendolyn Strong Foundation and the SMA Community,” said FightSMA President Martha Slay. “Gene therapy research is a marathon run, but the work of Dr. Kaspar will advance the field significantly for SMA.”

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is the leading genetic cause of infant death. SMA is caused by the absence of a gene that is critical for muscle strength, the SMN (“survivor motor neuron”) gene. That gene is absent in approximately one in 30 individuals. If both a man and woman are lacking the necessary SMN gene, the chances are 25% that any of their children will manifest SMA.

An objective of gene therapy is the restoration of the missing gene through delivery systems called “vectors.” Adeno-associated virus (AAV) is considered to be an attractive candidate for the construction of vectors.

FightSMA was created in 1991 with the mission to “strategically accelerate the development of a treatment or a cure for spinal muscular atrophy.” Working with the guidance of an international Scientific Advisory Committee, FightSMA has awarded SMA research grants at more than 40 universities and research institutions in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy. FightSMA has chapters across the United States and in Canada.

For more information, contact: http://www.fightsma.org or 804.515.0080
End
Source:Fight SMA
Email:***@endgamepr.com Email Verified
Zip:23226
Tags:Health, Science, Research, Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Sma, Nonprofits, Osu, Ohio State University
Industry:Health, Science, Non-profit
Location:Richmond - Virginia - United States
Account Email Address Verified     Account Phone Number Verified     Disclaimer     Report Abuse
Page Updated Last on: May 19, 2010
EndGame Public Relations, LLC PRs
Trending News
Most Viewed
Top Daily News



Like PRLog?
9K2K1K
Click to Share