Michael J. Fox Foundation Launches $14 Million Funding Initiatives for Parkinson's Disease Research
Michael J. Fox Foundation Launches $14 Million Funding Initiatives for Parkinson's Disease Research
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research has announced the launch of the Edmond J. Safra Core Programs for PD Research and a $1 million gift from Lily Safra in support of the new effort.
In conjunction with the launch of the Core Programs initiative, MJFF will provide up to $14 million in funding for three research programs: the newly created Therapeutic Pipeline Program, which integrates three previous MJFF funding opportunities — the Therapeutics Development Initiative, Clinical Intervention Awards, and Repositioning Drugs for PD — into a single streamlined initiative; the Rapid Response Innovation Awards, which are focused on breakthrough ideas; and Target Validation, which supports testing of biological targets with the potential to become the PD drugs of the future. Applications for Target Validation and the Therapeutic Pipeline Program are due in September, with funding expected to be awarded in 2013. Proposals for the Rapid Response awards will be accepted on a rolling basis, with funding decisions made within six weeks of submission.
"We've updated our annual funding initiatives to streamline processes and support our goal of bringing new treatments to market faster," said Sonal Das, associate director of research programs at MJFF. "We're aiming to cut even more red tape out of our application procedures by allowing successful projects to continue through multiple phases of the drug development process without needing to pause and reapply for funding at every stage of the pipeline."
Awarded to help meet the $50 million Brin Wojcicki Challenge that's in effect throughout 2012, the gift from Lily Safra, a longtime supporter of the foundation through her personal giving and the giving of the Edmond J. Safra Philanthropic Foundation, of which she is chair, will be doubled to $2 million.
"The Michael J. Fox Foundation is truly grateful for the longstanding generosity and leadership of Mrs. Safra and the Edmond J. Safra Philanthropic Foundation," said the foundation's CEO, Todd Sherer. "This continued support has made a critical difference in our ability to advance the most promising — and patient-relevant — therapies through the Edmond J. Safra Core Programs for PD Research."
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