CAMBRIDGE, MA — March 08, 2022 — (NOTICIAS NEWSWIRE) — Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:SRPT), the leader in precision genetic medicine for rare diseases, today announced that the website for Route 79, The Duchenne Scholarship Program, is officially open and accepting applications. Academic scholarships of up to $5,000 will be awarded to up to 15 individuals living with Duchenne. Additionally, for the 2022-2023 school year, the program has been expanded and Sarepta will be awarding up to 5 academic scholarships of $5,000 to siblings of individuals living with Duchenne.
The Route 79 program is designed to help students with Duchenne and siblings of individuals living with Duchenne pursue their post-secondary educational goals. Scholarship recipients are chosen by an independent committee of Duchenne community members based on an applicant’s community involvement, personal essay, and recommendation letter.
“We are thrilled to launch the fifth year of Route 79, The Duchenne Scholarship Program. Since its inception, we’ve had the privilege of awarding upwards of 70 scholarships to students living with Duchenne, with the goal of helping them achieve their unique and varied educational goals. This year, in addition to scholarships for individuals living with Duchenne, we are excited to expand the program and invite siblings of individuals with Duchenne to apply. The extension of the scholarship program reflects that we have heard the community’s feedback and recognize that Duchenne impacts the whole family, and our hope is that this scholarship program contributes to these exceptional students in achieving their dreams,” said Diane Berry, Sarepta’s Senior Vice President of Global Health Policy, Government and Patient Affairs. “Every year, the application process highlights stories that capture the incredible ambition and love of learning that exists within the Duchenne community and we look forward to receiving and evaluating applications for all the Route 79 scholars for the 2022-2023 academic year.”
The underlying cause of Duchenne is a mutation or error in the gene coding for dystrophin. Dystrophin is an essential protein that plays a pivotal role in muscle structure, function, and preservation. The numerical significance of the scholarship’s name, Route 79, ties to the 79 exons of the dystrophin gene.
To apply for a scholarship through the Route 79 program, applicants must be accepted to or enrolled in an accredited college or university or a trade, technical or vocational school located in the United States and be diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy or be a sibling of an individual diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. College seniors or college graduates accepted to or enrolled in graduate school are also eligible to apply. Previous recipients of Route 79 scholarships are eligible to apply for the 2022 Scholarship Program and prior recognition in the Program will have no bearing on 2022 applications. No consideration will be given to whether an applicant was previously, is currently, or expects to be in the future, undergoing treatment with a Sarepta product or investigational therapy. For additional applicant criteria, please visit Sarepta.com/route79.
Applications will be accepted until Friday, May 13, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. PDT. Recipients will be notified prior to August and awards will be distributed directly to the school, college, or university in time for fall 2022 enrollment. Students may learn more about the program and how to apply by clicking here.
About Sarepta Therapeutics
Sarepta is on an urgent mission: engineer precision genetic medicine for rare diseases that devastate lives and cut futures short. We hold leadership positions in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and limb-girdle muscular dystrophies (LGMDs), and we currently have more than 40 programs in various stages of development. Our vast pipeline is driven by our multi-platform Precision Genetic Medicine Engine in gene therapy, RNA, and gene editing. For more information, please visit www.sarepta.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
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Source: Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc.