“This investment brings us one step closer to developing new treatments for Duchenne,” - Dr. Michael RudnickiParent Project Muscular Dystrophy has invested $1M in Satellos Bioscience, a startup company founded by Dr. Michael Rudnicki. The investment will support the development of a new regenerative medicine for treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy (Duchenne), the most common fatal genetic disorder diagnosed in childhood. 

Duchenne is caused by a change in the dystrophin gene. Dr. Rudnicki discovered that in people with Duchenne, muscle stem cells, also known as satellite cells, are severely compromised in their ability to repair injured muscle. As a result, people with Duchenne are unable to keep up with the continuous damage to their muscles throughout life. 

Satellos is developing a means to correct this problem using a small molecule drug that mobilizes the body's own satellite cells to repair and regenerate muscles. Such a drug could be used throughout life to boost the continuous repair and regeneration of skeletal muscle, thereby enhancing and extending the lives of people with this disease. See media release for details.

“This investment brings us one step closer to developing new treatments for Duchenne,” said Dr. Michael Rudnicki, Senior Scientist and Scientific Director of Regenerative Medicine at The Ottawa Hospital, Professor at the University of Ottawa and Chief Scientific Officer at Satellos.

The Ottawa Hospital is a leading academic health, research and learning hospital proudly affiliated with the University of Ottawa.   

Media Contact 
Amelia Buchanan
Senior Communication Specialist
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
613-297-8315
ambuchanan@ohri.ca