Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy and Solid Ventures Partner on Solid Suit, an Assistive Device for Duchenne Muscular …

From left to right: Stanley Nelson, MD, Center for DMD at UCLA; Thomas Sugar, PhD, Arizona State University Polytechnic School; Tom Egan, SRI International; Roy Kornbluh, SRI International; Laura Case, DPT, Duke University School of Medicine; Keith Van Houten; Annie Kennedy, PPMD; Matt Arnold, Solid Ventures; Lee Sweeney, PhD, University of Pennsylvania; Tina Duong, DPT, Children's National Medical Center; Annie Ganot; Ilan Ganot, Solid Ventures; Eytani Ganot; Andrey Zarur, PhD, Solid Ventures; Brenda Wong, MD, Comprehensive Neuromuscular ...

Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy logo. (PRNewsFoto/Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy)

HACKENSACK, N.J., Dec. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the fight to end Duchenne muscular dystrophy (Duchenne), announced today a collaboration with Solid Ventures (Solid) to engage SRI Internationalin the research and development of the "Solid Suit," a soft, wearable assistive device for people with Duchenne.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is the most common fatal genetic disorder diagnosed in childhood, affecting approximately one in every 3,500 to 5,000 live male births. The loss of a key muscle protein called dystrophin causes muscle wasting and weakness, eventually leading to the loss of ambulation, difficulty breathing, and heart failure. Death typically occurs in the mid-to late 20s.

The Solid Suit idea evolved from pioneering SRI robotics technology originally designed to offset muscle fatigue and augment muscle strength. PPMD and Solid hope the Solid Suit will enable people with Duchenne to one day use a device in their day-to-day activities that assists with muscle function and may help muscle preservation. Research performed with Duchenne clinicians and volunteers from the patient community will guide SRI's prototype development activities, with the ultimate goal of ensuring widespread access to the technology. The partnership between PPMD and Solid took shape after a small and diverse group, comprised of the world's most renowned robotics engineers and Duchenne experts, convened to assess the feasibility and applicability of a Solid Suit to the Duchenne community.

PPMD's Founding President and CEO Pat Furlong is excited by the partnership and the exploration of this new technology. "Daily, we are in contact with families and patients at all stages of Duchenne progression. Their primary goal, second only to a cure, is to preserve muscle function so that daily tasks that most of us take for granted are not just easier, but doable. Solid CEO and founder Ilan Ganot and his team have quickly become trailblazers in the Duchenne space, analyzing the landscape and figuring out where to spend resources for the best result. At PPMD, we have taken a similar approach over the last 20 years, so combining forces to partner with SRI on the Solid Suit just makes sense. We are thrilled to partner with Solid and SRI. We are excited to explore the potential this may have to extend a child or young adult's physical abilities such as walking, brushing their teeth, controlling their joystick, or giving hugs."

For more information regarding the Solid Suit, read the FAQs. To learn more about other PPMD-funded projects, visit our website. For more information about Solid Ventures and their approach to treat and modify Duchenne, please visit the company website.

About Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is the most common fatal genetic disorder diagnosed in childhood, affecting approximately one in every 3,500 to 5,000 live male births (about 20,000 new cases worldwide each year). Because the Duchenne gene is found on the X-chromosome, it primarily affects boys; however, it occurs across all races and cultures.

Duchenne results in progressive loss of strength and is caused by a mutation in the gene that encodes for dystrophin. Because dystrophin is absent, the muscle cells are easily damaged. The progressive muscle weakness leads to serious medical problems, particularly issues relating to the heart and lungs. Young men with Duchenne typically live into their late twenties.

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Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy and Solid Ventures Partner on Solid Suit, an Assistive Device for Duchenne Muscular ...