2024 Research Highlights: Collaborators Receive Funding to Advance Childhood Cancer Research

M4K Pharma is excited to announce our funding highlights for 2024. Our collaborators, Dr. Chris Jones from the Institute of Cancer Research in the UK and Dr. David Drewry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, have received grants from the Cure Starts Now Foundation. These grants will support their research into new treatments for diffuse midline glioma (DMG) and diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), respectively. These aggressive pediatric brain cancers represent a significant unmet clinical need with a median survival of just 9 to 12 months post-diagnosis.  t

Dr. Jones’ lab focuses on the genetics and molecular drivers of pediatric brain tumors, identifying potential therapeutic targets, while Dr. Drewry’s work specializes in developing highly potent and selective inhibitors of the ALK2 kinase receptor, a target for DIPG therapeutic intervention, as well as screening ALK2 inhibitors in a state-of-the-art NanoBRET cellular assay.

These achievements represent an exciting milestone for 2024, highlighting the importance of collaboration in advancing treatment strategies for diseases with limited options. We express our gratitude to the Cure Starts Now Foundation for their support, and we sincerely congratulate Drs. Jones and Drewry for their ongoing efforts to support M4K's mission. As we look ahead to 2025, we remain committed to advancing open science and fostering new breakthroughs that bring hope to families affected by these diseases.

For more details, visit the Cure Starts Now Foundation’s announcements:

Chris Jones’ Announcement: https://thecurestartsnow.org/research/research-and-grants/the-institute-of-cancer-research-2024-10-24/

David Drewry’s Announcement: https://thecurestartsnow.org/research/research-and-grants/unc-eshelman-school-of-pharmacy-2024-12-09/

Stay connected with M4K Pharma to follow the progress of our research and what’s to come in the year ahead.