Breakthrough Innovations Fund
Our fund to support innovative new research
A rolling call for proposals
Our research funding programme aims to progress innovative projects with the potential to have meaningful impact for patients living with Duchenne today. Our funding priorities therefore focus on research which can progress rapidly through clinical development, built upon a strong evidence package, and that addresses needs not well served by existing clinical activity. Both novel therapeutic approaches and projects that could meaningfully improve standards of care will be considered. Our funding is open to not-for-profit institutions and SMEs, whether based in the UK or abroad.
Duchenne UK operates a rolling call for proposals and is happy to receive enquiries throughout the year. Enquiries will be assessed for alignment with Duchenne UK’s priorities and charitable objectives prior to invitation to submit an expression of interest (EoI). Both value for money and time horizon to impact will be key considerations in prioritising projects to progress to EoI. Duchenne UK welcomes and actively supports development of co-funding opportunities.
Projects addressing the following areas are considered in scope
Small molecule and biologic therapy proposals with robust non-clinical data, rapidly progressing to clinical development. First-in-class mechanisms in Duchenne are of particular interest and repositioned/repurposed drugs with novel mechanisms in Duchenne are considered in scope, provided a clear route to patient access can be articulated and evidenced. Duchenne UK places a particular emphasis on needs less well served by the current therapeutic pipeline, such as drugs to support cardiac function.
Advanced therapy medicinal product (ATMP) proposals, supported by robust non-clinical evidence, well defined mechanism of action and clear evidence of differentiation compared to existing pipeline approaches. This could include greater functional correction, improved safety profile or more efficient tissue targeting. Duchenne UK has a particular interest in cross-cutting themes that could impact multiple ATMP programmes, with a particular focus on approaches that could rapidly improve safety and efficacy, such as the prevention of immunogenicity.
Care and clinical infrastructure are priority areas for Duchenne UK, with most activity falling under our core Duchenne Care UK and Duchenne Hub UK programmes and outside of the remit of the research funding programme (see “Our strategic programmes”). We will, however, consider project-focussed research funding in these areas where:
- Clinical care research is proposed that will meaningfully advance standards of care, being suitably powered interventional studies having the potential to modify patient outcomes.
- The approach explores technology-enabled care or clinical research delivery that can improve care, research access and efficiency, or reduce the burden of care/research participation for patients and families.
The Breakthrough Innovations Fund will not fund
(1) Basic science or early drug discovery/technology development activities.
(2) Well-resourced therapeutic areas already in late clinical development, including: Novel exon skipping technologies and novel microdystrophin technologies.
Duchenne UK has strategic programmes in clinical research infrastructure (Duchenne Hub UK), care standards (Duchenne Care UK), patient data (Duchenne UK Connect) and assistive technology (Duchenne UK Institute for Assistive Technology). Although, broadly, these areas do not fall within the remit of our applicant-led research funding activity, we welcome discussions regarding collaborative opportunities. Contact details can be found at the relevant programme page.
