The Medical College of Georgia (MCG) at Augusta University has been awarded an $8.5 million grant from the Leducq Foundation for Cardiovascular Research to support a pioneering study aimed at improving treatments for peripheral artery disease (PAD).
The five-year grant will fund the Arteriogenesis in Translation study, an international collaboration focused on understanding the formation of small arteries in the body, according to a press release from Augusta University.
Peripheral artery disease is a prevalent condition in which fatty deposits narrow or block the arteries supplying blood to one or both legs. This can result in leg pain, difficulty walking, and an increased risk of amputation.
Current treatments, including exercise, lifestyle changes and medication, often fail to fully address the condition, underscoring the need for innovative therapies, according to a press release from Augusta University.
The grant will support a network of researchers from institutions including MCG, Yale University, Boston University, the University of Utah, University College London, University College Dublin and Oxford University.
Dr. Brian H. Annex, a professor and chair of the Department of Medicine at MCG and the J. Harold Harrison, MD Distinguished University Chair in Vascular Medicine, will lead the U.S.-based research team with investigators from Yale University, Boston University and the University of Utah.
Dr. Christiana Ruhrberg, a professor at University College London, will spearhead the European team with researchers from University College Dublin and Oxford University.
“We are all focused on improving blood delivery and toxin removal in the legs beyond the blockages, and we’ve converged on the same approach to tackling these challenges,” Dr. Annex said. “This collaboration promises to open new avenues for PAD treatment and other related diseases.”
The Leducq Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to cardiovascular disease and stroke prevention, is funding the study with the goal of generating new therapies for PAD and similar conditions.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 6.5 million Americans over the age of 40 suffer from PAD, with a higher prevalence among older adults, smokers and those with diabetes.
PAD also disproportionately affects Black individuals, leading to worse clinical outcomes for this group, according to a press release from Augusta University.
The funding will be allocated to participating institutions over the next five years to advance the study’s groundbreaking work.
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