To the mitochondrial disease community,

We are saddened by the findings recently released by Reneo Pharmaceuticals regarding the STRIDE study for primary mitochondrial myopathy. We know such news weighs heavily on the entire mitochondrial disease community and we share that sense of disappointment with you.

To those many study participants who stepped up to be a part of this trial, even knowing that this could be an outcome, we offer our thoughts and thanks. It’s a true act of selflessness to give so much of yourself to move potential treatments forward.

Despite this not being the outcome we had all hoped for, we do not believe this work is wasted. Every trial is a learning opportunity for clinicians, patients, and drug developers on how to improve the chances of success.

The path to an approved treatment or cure will not be a straight line, especially for something as complex as mitochondrial disease. There will be detours like this that seem to take us no closer to our destination. But this was not our only path forward. There are many other promising drug candidates focused on mitochondrial disease in clinical development today, and more to come in the future.

We thank Reneo for all their work in our community and while this opportunity may not have succeeded, their work will have a lasting impact, be it through shared trial learnings or their commitment to helping shorten the diagnostic journey for mito patients by financially underwriting the UMDF pilot no-cost genetic testing for hundreds of patients.

To the mito community, despite this setback, our assessment of the treatment landscape remains unchanged. It is not a matter of if, but when, FDA-approved treatments arrive. Until then, you have our commitment that the team at UMDF will work tirelessly with all stakeholders in our community to make that “when” as soon as humanly possible.

Sincerely,

 

Brian T. Harman
President & CEO
United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation