ATLANTA (July 10, 2024) The CMT Research Foundation (CMTRF), a patient-led, non-profit focused on delivering treatments and cures for Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease*, today announced that at its annual Global CMT Research Convention this September, it will host a Young Researcher Innovation Forum for CMT Research. The program will introduce the Young Researcher Innovation Grant and provide a platform to discuss key challenges in CMT drug development and brainstorm solutions with key opinion leaders in CMT research.

Designed to inspire young scientists to explore innovative ideas in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease drug development, the grant program will provide $25,000 project-based funding to young researchers with novel ideas that advance CMT research.

“Because of CMTRF’s entrepreneurial spirit that challenges the status quo in CMT research, the overall drug development pipeline for CMT has doubled in the last 6 years to over 32 projects. CMTRF has also increased the number of biotech companies engaged in CMT research,” says Edritz Javelosa, CMTRF Scientific Research Manager. “With the Young Researcher Innovation Forum, we will likewise grow the number of researchers and scientists dedicated to finding treatments or a cure for CMT.”

Prospective applicants must attend the Young Researcher Innovation Forum on Thursday, September 26th at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge, MA, or virtually, during the Global CMT Research Convention to qualify for the grant. Travel stipends will be made available for in-person forum participants who apply.

For more information please visit: Young Researcher Innovation Forum.

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CMT Research Foundation(CMTRF)is a patient-led, non-profit focused on delivering treatments and cures for CMT. The foundation identifies significant obstacles or deficiencies impeding progress toward a cure and seeks out collaborators to address these issues. To date, CMTRF has funded 24 projects, of which 8 are completed. Of those 8 completed projects, 5 have clinical candidates. CMTRF’s mission to invest in promising science with high potential of leading to treatments and cures was proven effective and ground-breaking when DTx Pharma with a CMTRF- backed program as its lead candidate was acquired by Novartis for $1 billion. Founded by two patients who are driven to expedite drug delivery to people who live with CMT, the 501(c)(3) federal tax-exempt organization is supported by personal and corporate financial gifts. 

* Charcot-Marie-Toothencompasses a group of inherited, chronic peripheral neuropathies that result in nerve degradation. CMT patients suffer from progressive muscle atrophy of legs and arms, causing walking, running and balance problems as well as abnormal functioning of hands and feet. CMT affects one in 2,500 people (about the same prevalence as cystic fibrosis), including 150,000 Americans and nearly 3 million people worldwide. At the moment, there is no treatment or cure for CMT.

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