Project HERCULES in the media

We’re pleased to share the latest coverage of Hercules. The launch of the project, with our seven industry partners, has received coverage in 10 publications:

PMLiVE – Duchenne UK and pharma partner pilot data-sharing HTA approach
European Pharmaceutical Review – Project Hercules to lead way in Duchenne muscular dystrophy
BioCentury – Duchenne UK launches data-sharing initiative
PharmaLetter – Pfizer and Roche among sponsors of HTA data-sharing initiative
Pharmaceutical Industry Today – Duchenne UK and pharma partner pilot data-sharing approach
Pharmaphorum – Pharma collaborates to improve chances of NICE backing Duchenne drugs
EPM Magazine – Pharma industry leaders join forces in support of DMD project, HERCULES
4-traders – Duchenne UK launches data-sharing initiative
Global Banking & Finance Review – Pharmaceutical industry leaders join forces to pioneer novel approach to health technology assessment
Muscular Dystrophy News Today – Pharma Giants Form UK-Based ‘Project Hercules’ to Generate Evidence for DMD Treatments

Emily Crossley has also written an article for PMLive: Transforming access in rare diseases.

About HERCULES

HERCULES will help produce a comprehensive, standardised evidence base for new treatments that have the potential to change the lives of patients with DMD. Led by Duchenne UK with seven pharmaceutical industry sponsors and two academic partners, the project will enable a stronger evidence base for new therapies for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) required by regulatory bodies, such as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). These evidence requirements are very different from the evidence required to grant regulatory approval for a medicine.

Phase One of HERCULES will begin in early 2018, and focus on understanding the current evidence base, the cost of DMD and lives lost to it, as well as current measures of success in DMD clinical trials. This unique project with seven industry sponsors will enable development of the critical components required for a successful HTA submission including:

A critique of current Quality of Life metrics and bespoke DMD metric
Data analysis to map clinical trial endpoints and natural history data to clinical outcomes
A burden of illness study
A core economic model which companies can tailor to their own needs

Phase Two will be announced in the second half of 2018.

Latest

Opportunity for adults with DMD to take part in research

Researchers have developed a human-robot interface for assisted reaching and grasping.
Winner of #DreamWheelchair competition announced

We teamed up with Whizz-kidz and asked wheelchair users to draw or write about their dream wheelchair. The competition is part our Wheels of Change project.
Helping muscle regeneration with repurposed medicines

Duchenne UK is awarding a grant of £199,245 to the University of Geneva to investigate the potential of repurposed compounds to regenerate muscle and prevent fibrosis.
Investigating the benefits of Vitamin B3 (Nicotinamide Riboside)

We grant £73,500 to Leiden University to test whether Vitamin B3 can improve regeneration of muscle and help retain muscle tissue.

Winner of #DreamWheelchair competition announced

We teamed up with Whizz-kidz and asked wheelchair users to draw or write about their dream wheelchair. The competition is part our Wheels of Change project.
Helping muscle regeneration with repurposed medicines

Duchenne UK is awarding a grant of £199,245 to the University of Geneva to investigate the potential of repurposed compounds to regenerate muscle and prevent fibrosis.
Investigating the benefits of Vitamin B3 (Nicotinamide Riboside)

We grant £73,500 to Leiden University to test whether Vitamin B3 can improve regeneration of muscle and help retain muscle tissue.
Tackling fibrosis and muscle regeneration

Duchenne UK grants £235,200 to AGADA Biosciences’ to test the impact of two already approved drugs on protecting muscle in DMD, Tofacitinib and Ruxolitinib.
Creating new muscle by using stem cells

The DMD INSPIRE Major Grant of $945,654 (Approx. £780,000) will support the University of Minnesota’s pioneering work on regenerating muscle in DMD patients with stem cells.
Duchenne UK invests £1,25 million into new research of treatments for DMD

Four projects will receive funding. They explore ways to build new muscle, tackle fibrosis and bring treatments to patients as quickly as possible.
Duchenne UK grants £63,618 to test whether TEMPOL can help reduce muscle cell damage and inflammation in DMD

Duchenne UK is investing in the development of a new anti-oxidant drug.
ICER Update

This week, Fleur Chandler, member of our Patient Advisory Board and chair of Project HERCULES, attended a meeting in Boston, hosted by Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) to review medicines for their cost effectiveness.
Duchenne UK’s £80,000 grant to Decipha provides vital, free educational support for children and young adults with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Our grant to Decipha has directly helped 117 families since 2017
The Duchenne Dash 2019 by Ben Monro-Davies

Ben Monro-Davies, Editor of Sky News Sunrise, has taken part in the Dash every year since it began: Back at work after Dash number 7 he reflects on the Dash.