VASTox network gets 10 million euros EU funding

VASTox, an Oxford, UK-based chemical genomics company, says that the European Union has awarded a 10.0 million-euro ($12.7 million) grant to the TREAT-NMD network, of which it is a member. VASTox and a network of leading researchers, clinicians and patient associations have joined forces to progress the development of treatments for rare neuromuscular diseases (NMD), such as muscular dystrophies and spinal muscular atrophy. The EU grant will fund collaborative R&D efforts into these important therapeutic areas.

The company says it will work closely with the other members of the TREAT-NMD network of excellence to develop best practice in all areas of NMD research and development, in particular, ensuring the route of a drug candidate from the laboratory bench to an approved medicine is as efficient as possible. VASTox has drug development programs in two NMD areas: Duchenne muscular dystrophy and spinal muscular atrophy. There are currently no medicines to effectively treat patients with either of these fatal genetic diseases.