Attacking Rett Syndrome From Every Angle

A cure for Rett Syndrome. You want it. We want it. More than anything. Together, we can make it happen.


From 2017 to 2020 we carried out Roadmap to a Cure, a research plan that identified and advanced six therapeutic strategies targeting the root cause of Rett Syndrome.

CURE 360 is the blueprint for how we now drive those advances into a coordinated, full-on attack on Rett.

We know scientific discoveries are made in academic labs and drugs are developed by biopharma. So CURE 360 is focused intensely on research and business development. CURE 360 further evolves the Rett Syndrome Research Trust (RSRT) from a disease research organization into an MECP2 therapeutic incubator, ensuring that biopharma picks up academic programs advanced during Roadmap to a Cure.

The cure will come from one or more of the therapeutic strategies encompassed in CURE 360 and described below. We invite you to be part of the solution. Contact us today.

CURE 360 further evolves RSRT from a disease research organization into an MECP2 therapeutic incubator.

Rett is surrounded.
We’re closing in.

Despite its debilitating nature, Rett offers three silver linings:

The root cause is known
The root cause is known — alterations in a single gene, MECP2
The disorder is not neurodegenerative
The disorder is not neurodegenerative — brain cells don’t die
Restoring levels of the MECP2 protein dramatically reverses symptoms in mice
Restoring levels of the MECP2 protein dramatically reverses symptoms in mice

Together, these three facts scream out for a genetic solution to Rett. CURE 360 provides six potential solutions unified by a common objective: restoring levels of MECP2 protein.

Clinical Resources Clinical Trial Consortium Outcome Measures / Biomarkers Biorepository / Registry Scientific Resources Enhancing Brain Delivery of Therapeutics Regulation of MECP2 Levels Jackson Labs / Translational Science Curative Strategies MECP2 Reactivation Reactivation could mitigate the flawed MECP2 gene by reawakening its silenced counterpart, which is present in all females. We’ve championed this research since 2008. → RNA Editing RNA is a copy of DNA, so mutations in a gene are also in its RNA. RNA editing efforts harness normal editing processes that already exist in our cells. → Gene Editing Rather than introduce extra healthy copies of a gene, this strategy fixes the underlying mistake in the MECP2 gene using state-of-the-art CRISPR technology. → Protein Replacement Rather than target the gene or the RNA, this strategy delivers the MeCP2 protein on an ongoing basis. → RNA Trans-splicing This strategy harnesses a naturally occurring process to replace the section of MeCP2 RNA that contains most mutations with a healthy replacement. → Gene Replacement The curative strategy closest to clinical trial, gene replacement introduces healthy copies of the MECP2 gene into the body to compensate for the mutated one. →
  • Gene Replacement
    The curative strategy closest to clinical trial, gene replacement introduces healthy copies of the MECP2 gene into the body to compensate for the mutated one.
    Learn More
  • Gene Editing
    Rather than introduce extra healthy copies of a gene, this strategy fixes the underlying mistake in the MECP2 gene using state-of-the-art CRISPR technology.
    Learn More
  • MECP2 Reactivation
    Reactivation could mitigate the flawed MECP2 gene by reawakening its silenced counterpart, which is present in all females.
    Learn More
  • RNA Editing
    RNA is a copy of DNA, so mutations in a gene are also in its RNA. RNA editing efforts harness normal editing processes that already exist in our cells.
    Learn More
  • RNA Trans-splicing
    This strategy harnesses a naturally occurring process to replace the section of MECP2 RNA that contains most mutations with a healthy replacement.
    Learn More
  • Protein Replacement
    Rather than target the gene or the RNA, this strategy delivers the healthy MECP2 protein on an ongoing basis.
    Learn More
View All Cures
Clinical Resources
Scientific Resources

There is a lot going on now in the world of Rett research and the best of it is supported by RSRT.

Professor Sir Adrian Bird
University of Edinburgh

MECP2 Therapeutic Pipeline

RSRT’s support, prior to and during Roadmap to a Cure, has resulted in an extensive pipeline of MECP2 therapeutic programs, now in development in biopharma and academia.

This pipeline, which shows current and projected 2024 goals, is dynamic. As new data emerges the pipeline will be updated.

Available Therapeutic Therapeutic demonstrates safety and efficacy. Can be commercialized by companies and prescribed by doctors to treat patients. Clinical Trials Safety and efficacy testing in humans. May be multiple trials with one objective, or a single trial with multiple objectives. Safety & Manufacturing Required studies that assess safety, tolerability, efficacy and dose ranges prior to initiating human studies. Proof of Concept Preliminary experiments performed in test tubes, cells or mice that confirm the expected beneficial therapeutic effects. Research & Discovery The earliest stages of development encompassing basic research to identify potential therapeutic leads.
  • Research & Discovery
    The earliest stage of development encompassing basic research to identify therapeutics.
  • Proof of Concept
    Preliminary experiments, typically performed in test tubes, cells or mice, that confirm the expected beneficial therapeutic effects.
  • Safety & Manufacturing
    Required studies that assess safety, tolerability, efficacy and dose ranges prior to initiating human studies.
  • Clinical Trials
    Testing of the therapeutic in humans, first for safety and then for efficacy. This may be done in a series of trials with a single objective, or in single trials with multiple objectives.
  • Available Therapeutic
    Therapeutic has demonstrated safety and efficacy and can be commercialized by companies and used by doctors to treat patients outside of a clinical trial.

RSRT’s Role As An MECP2 Therapeutic Incubator

Breakthrough discoveries are made in academic labs. But academics are not drug developers — biopharma develops drugs. As Rett Syndrome is not low-hanging fruit for biopharma, RSRT functions as an MECP2 therapeutic incubator, by ensuring that biopharma picks up programs that we have advanced. The basic science, translational efforts, tools and resources we have nurtured and supported have facilitated the biopharma companies below to initiate MECP2 therapeutic programs.

Accomplishments

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Biopharma
RSRT-sponsored research led to industry pursuit of multiple Rett programs.
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Therapeutic
RSRT funding introduced and expanded novel therapeutic areas for Rett that did not exist before.
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Million
Raised $33 million in 3 years to deliver on Roadmap to a Cure.
biopharma.svg
Biopharma
RSRT-sponsored research led to industry pursuit of multiple Rett programs.
therapeutic.svg
Therapeutic
RSRT funding introduced and expanded novel therapeutic areas for Rett that did not exist before.
million.svg
Million
Raised $33 million in 3 years to deliver on Roadmap to a Cure.
View More
Accomplishments

Our Research Collaborators

By compiling an extensive repository of research tools and ensuring these resources are widely available to scientists, RSRT is accelerating basic and translational research efforts in a meaningful and tangible way.

David Huss, PhD
Shape Therapeutics

For Researchers

Connecting academic and industry scientists with the resources and reagents needed to make quick progress is important to us. Please visit our curated list of key resources and reagents.

Access Resources
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A cure for Rett.
You want it.
We want it.

Great achievements happen when people stand up and say I’m in. I will be part of the solution!

Rett may be a rare disorder but together we are powerful.

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