EMD Serono, Inc., a subsidiary of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany,  has initiated a new global research award to improve understanding of multiple sclerosis for the ultimate benefit of patients. Academic researchers will be awarding one million euros grant annually for Multiple Sclerosis Innovation to fund innovative research into multiple sclerosis (MS).

The new global research award announcement was made during the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) congress in Lyon, France.

Researchers can submit their project proposals via the program’s website, www.grantformultiplesclerosisinnovation.org, and awardees will be announced at next year’s ECTRIMS congress in Copenhagen.

“We are committed to driving innovative research to further contribute to our understanding of the disease and ultimately lead to new medical breakthroughs in multiple sclerosis,” said Annalisa Jenkins, Head of Global Drug Development and Medical for Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. “While tremendous progress has been made over the years, we must continue to search for answers to important scientific questions in the field.”

Potential research topics which could be funded through the Grant for Multiple Sclerosis Innovation include MS pathogenesis, predictive markers for treatment response and potential new treatments.

This grant complements other existing programmes like EMD Serono’s collaboration with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the FastFoward collaborative fund.

The funds from the Grant for Multiple Sclerosis Innovation will be awarded by EMD Serono for projects based in the United States and Canada, and by Merck Serono to those based in the rest of the world.

EMD Serono, Inc., is a leader in the US biopharmaceutical arena, integrating cutting-edge science with unparalleled patient support systems to improve people's lives.