University Hospitals Institute and Oxford University partnership announces new programs for new therapies to fight degenerative disease
Photo: Harrington Discovery Institute / University Hospitals
The partnership of the Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals in Cleveland and University of Oxford in the United Kingdom has received a philanthropic donation of up to $825,000 to support the research and development of therapeutics for Friedreich’s Ataxia (FA), a debilitating, life-shortening, degenerative rare disease, with onset typically between 10-15 years of age. There is presently no cure for FA.
The Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre (OHC), which is dedicated to the development of cutting-edge, rare-disease breakthroughs, announced that the funding will support the research and development of therapeutics via two new programs: the FA Alliance Catalyst Fund and The FA Alliance Innovation Fund.
FA affects roughly 1 in 50,000 people in the U.S. and U.K., with onset typically between 10-15 years of age. Individuals with FA have genetic mutations that result in a deficiency in the production of a protein called frataxin, causing progressive damage and cell death. Initial symptoms of FA include tiredness, vision and hearing loss, chest pain, slow or slurred speech, difficulty walking, and a loss of sensation and reflexes.
In 2021, the OHC started recruiting leading disease area experts and coordinating substantial research efforts to develop new treatments for FA. At this time, 18 leading researchers are working on a pipeline of FA projects.
What it Means to Ohio
The Harrington Discovery Institute supports scientific research on brain health, rare diseases, COVID-19 and major diseases affecting society. It was established through a $50 million gift from the Harrington family, as well as $100 million from University Hospitals.
In 2014, it received a $25 million grant from the State of Ohio via the Third Frontier economic development program. The institute serves as a model for research, innovation, and mentoring. Their programs include the Harrington-Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP): a two-year scholarship for MSTP students at Case Western Reserve University “whose work has been identified as innovative, creative and having potential to progress toward clinical application."
What They’re Saying
“Today’s announcement validates and underscores OHC’s commitment to driving innovation and collaboration in research towards new therapeutics to meet the major unmet need of Friedreich’s Ataxia. We are extremely grateful for the support received, which is enabling the launch of these two new award programs. Through OHC and the FA Alliance, we are bringing a multidisciplinary team of leading researchers and clinicians together to tackle this challenging rare disease as one of our priority areas. Strengthened by the complementary expertise of the Harrington Discovery Institute, this new funding will both accelerate existing projects and advance new projects with the aim of developing a therapeutic to cure or treat FA.”
- Matthew Wood, Director and Chief Scientific Officer of the OHC, and Professor of Neuroscience in Oxford’s Department of Paediatrics
