Translational Efforts to Advance Gene-based Therapies for Ultra-Rare Neurological and Neuromuscular Disorders (U01 - Clinical Trial Optional)

The Ultra-Rare Gene-Based Therapy (URGenT) network supports Investigational New Drug (IND)-enabling studies and planning activities for First-in-Human (FIH) clinical testing of gene-based or transcript-directed therapeutics, such as oligonucleotides and viral-based gene therapies, for ultra-rare neurological or neuromuscular disorders. The goal of this announcement is to accelerate the development of a promising clinical candidate with robust biological rationale and demonstrated proof of concept (POC) data for the intended approach in a model system relevant to a specified patient population towards an IND filing and the initiation of a clinical trial. This cooperative agreement funding mechanism provides support for comprehensive translational research efforts that bridge the gap between laboratory discoveries and clinical applications. The program specifically targets therapeutic development for conditions affecting the nervous system and muscles that have extremely small patient populations, where traditional pharmaceutical development may not be economically viable.