CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – 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 chosen by an independent committee of Duchenne community members based on an applicant’s community involvement, personal essay, and recommendation letter. The Route 79 program is designed to help students with Duchenne pursue their post-secondary educational goals.
“We are thrilled to be launching Route 79, The Duchenne Scholarship Program, for the fourth year. Over the course of the program, we’ve had the privilege of granting over 50 scholarships to students with Duchenne, as they work to achieve their unique and varied educational goals. Each year brings new applicants, along with impressive examples of resilience, ambition, and commitment to learning. It is our great pleasure to offer this scholarship to support these students in their pursuit of higher education. We look forward receiving and evaluating applications for the next group of Route 79 scholars for the 2021-2022 school year,” said Diane Berry, Sarepta’s Senior Vice President of Global Health Policy, Government and Patient Affairs.
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. 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 2021 Scholarship Program and prior recognition in the Program will have no bearing on 2021 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.
Applications will be accepted until May 11, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. Recipients will be notified prior to August and awards will be distributed in time for fall 2021 enrollment. Students may learn more about the program and how to apply by clicking here.
About Sarepta Therapeutics
At Sarepta, we are leading a revolution in precision genetic medicine and every day is an opportunity to change the lives of people living with rare disease. The Company has built an impressive and competitive position in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and in gene therapies for limb-girdle muscular dystrophies (LGMDs), mucopolysaccharidosis Type IIIA, Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT), and other CNS-related disorders, with more than 40 programs in various stages of development. The Company’s programs and research focus span several therapeutic modalities, including RNA, gene therapy and gene editing. For more information, please visit www.sarepta.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
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Media:
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