Newswise — SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, August 15, 2019 – MyoKardia, Inc. today announced the launch of the 2nd Annual MyoSeeds™ Research Grants Program, an initiative to support original, independent research in the biology and underlying mechanisms of cardiomyopathies and precision heart disease treatment.
“MyoSeeds is intended to support independent research initiatives in areas that we’ve identified as important and complementary to our internal R&D priorities,” said Robert McDowell, Ph.D., MyoKardia’s Chief Scientific Officer. “We are optimistic that the scientific insights that emerge from the work of MyoSeeds awardees will be useful in gaining a better understanding of the biology of cardiomyopathies, and ultimately advancing patient care.”
MyoKardia will fund up to four awards, with each award funded up to $250,000, for the 2019-2020 MyoSeeds grants cycle. The MyoSeeds Research Grants Program priorities for the 2019-2020 funding cycle are focused on hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM):
- Mechanisms of pathogenesis in “genotype-negative” HCM and idiopathic DCM
- Mechanisms of protein-folding and protein clearance in cardiomyocytes and their role in the molecular pathophysiology of cardiac systolic and diastolic dysfunction
- Mechanisms of troponin release beyond acute injury
- Cardiomyopathies associated with aging and/or diabetes
- Role of energetics in HCM and DCM
Grant proposals will be reviewed for scientific merit, feasibility, potential impact of the proposed project on patients and alignment with the research priorities for the funding cycle.
Interested applicants should apply electronically through proposalCENTRAL.
Pre-application letters of intent are due September 13, 2019. Grant selection will occur by December 31, 2019. Details about the program criteria, areas of research, and the application are available on the MyoKardia website, or by emailing [email protected].
MyoKardia’s research and drug development efforts are focused on applying a precision medicine approach to the treatment of cardiomyopathies by establishing a deep understanding of the disease biology, creating novel drugs that are targeted to that biology and identifying subgroups of patients with shared disease characteristics who are most likely to benefit from a targeted treatment. Currently, more than 1.5 million individuals in the U.S. are affected by HCM or DCM. There are no approved medical therapies that target the underlying defects in contractility characteristic of HCM or DCM.
About MyoKardia
MyoKardia is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering a precision medicine approach to discover, develop and commercialize targeted therapies for the treatment of serious cardiovascular diseases. MyoKardia’s initial focus is on the development of small molecule therapeutics aimed at the muscle proteins of the heart that modulate cardiac muscle contraction and underlying diseases of systolic and diastolic dysfunction. MyoKardia applies a precision medicine approach to develop its therapeutic candidates for patient populations with shared characteristics, such as causal genetic mutations or disease subtypes. MyoKardia has discovered a pipeline of product candidates directed at diseases driven by excessive contraction, impaired relaxation, or insufficient contraction. Among its discoveries are three clinical-stage therapeutics: mavacamten (formerly 461) in Phase 3 and Phase 2 clinical trials for hypertrophic cardiomyopathies (HCM); MYK-491 in Phase 2 for patients with stable heart failure; and MYK-224, in Phase 1 development for HCM.
MyoKardia’s mission is to change the world for people with serious cardiovascular disease through bold and innovative science.
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