C3 is pleased to announce the funding of a new research project to Dr. Christopher Heier, of Virginia Commonwealth University in the USA, and Dr. Utkarsh Dang, of Carleton University in Canada. The project is titled “Comparative proteomics of LGMD2A/R1 and Becker muscular dystrophy to develop serum protein biomarkers and predict drug responsiveness in LGMD2A/R1.”…
Read MoreNew research alert! Measuring motor function in LGMD2A/R1
A new paper, “Motor Function in LGMD2A/R1: Validation of Clinical Outcome Assessments for Clinical Care and Trial Readiness,” was recently published in the journal Neurology: Genetics. This important, C3-funded initiative is a testament to international cooperation, bringing together leading LGMD researchers. They leveraged clinical data collected from 92 individuals with LGMD2A/R1, ultimately advancing the understanding of how…
Read MoreNew Publication Characterizes Mouse Model of Calpainopathy
A group of researchers from the Heimer Institute for Muscle Research in Bochum, Germany have characterized a Capn3-deficient mouse strain. This is one of four strains recently generated by Jackson Laboratories as part of a Coalition to Cure Calpain 3 research grant. This descriptive study analyzed wildtype (WT) and Capn3-deficient (C3) mice of both genders…
Read MoreWhat’s new in LGMD2A/R1 research? Posters highlight new research at the International LGMD Conference
The 2025 International LGMD Conference, hosted by the Speak Foundation, was attended by over 500 LGMD patients and family members, clinicians, and scientists. For the first time, the conference included a scientific poster session for researchers to present their basic, translational, or clinical research related to LGMDs. Twenty-five abstracts were selected for presentations, including seven that were…
Read MoreC3 Attends the 2025 International LGMD Conference
C3 was proud to be a part of the International LGMD Conference which convened July 18-20 in Orlando, Florida. This event is hosted by the Speak Foundation and focuses on all subtypes of LGMD. Among the highlights:
Read MoreLGMD2A/R1 Standards of Care Workshop
Coalition to Cure Calpain 3 (C3) is proud to have partnered with the John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre, Sarepta Therapeutics, the Speak Foundation, and LGMD Awareness Foundation to sponsor the LGMD2A/R1 Standards of Care (SOC) Workshop. This meeting, organized by Dr. Volker Straub, Director of the John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre at Newcastle…
Read MoreNew Research Alert: GRASP-001 Study
A team of LGMD researchers, called the GRASP-LGMD Consortium, published the baseline results of their LGMD2A/R1 clinical outcome study in the Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology. The study, which was funded in part by a research grant from Coalition to Cure Calpain 3, enrolled 42 individuals across 11 international sites. Each participant completed several measures of their…
Read MoreCoalition to Cure Calpain 3 and Muscular Dystrophy Association partner to fund gene therapy grant
Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) and Coalition to Cure Calpain 3 (C3) partner to fund $300,000 research grant for gene therapy development in limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. This grant supports the work of Melissa Spencer, PhD, Director of the Neuromuscular Division in Neurology, Co-Director of the Center for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and member of the Broad Stem…
Read MoreC3 Scientific Meeting Recap
Coalition to Cure Calpain 3 (C3) recognizes that collaboration and data sharing are integral to drug discovery and therapy development. To foster these interactions, we hosted an in-person meeting focused on advances in clinical trial readiness and treatment development for Calpainopathy (limb-girdle muscular dystrophy types 2A/R1 and 1I/D4). This small, focused meeting was held September…
Read MorePublished Research Alert: Atypical calcium handling in muscles of mouse model of LGMD2A/R1
Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy 2A/R1 (LGMD2A/R1) is caused by changes in a gene called CAPN3, which provides instructions for making a protein called Calpain 3. This protein is specific to skeletal muscle and, among other functions, helps regulate calcium levels inside muscle cells. In 2022, C3 awarded a research grant to Drs. Elisabeth Barton and Lan…
Read More