Research Contributions

MPN Research Foundation has funded 30 research projects for over $8 million, advancing the understanding of MPN mechanisms of action, contributing to new drug development and leading to innumerable publications in esteemed scientific journals. 

Our contributions to MPN research include:

• Funded first large scale tissue bank and associated data bank at Mayo, enabling rapid testing of new JAK2 inhibiting drugs. This work has been instrumental in Incyte’s development of INCB424 and in development of Cytopia and TargeGen compounds, and others. 
• Funded MPD Research Alliance that enabled pre-clinical studies of JAK inhibitors in animal models of MPN. 
• Funded the development of a knock-in JAK2V617 mouse model which enabled the identification of an MPN stem cell population that is not affected by JAK2 Inhibitors. Elimination of these cells will be necessary for a cure. 
• Funded continued research on the TET2 mutation and the effects of TET2 loss on MPN’s, establishing the precise frequency of the TET2 MPN mutation and its correlation with the MPN phenotype. 
• Funded the identification of Ikaros and CUX1 as genes that are lost during progression to AML possibly leading to new targets for therapeutic intervention. 
• Funded a study to understand the basis of interferon, specifically pegasys, mechanisms of action in treating MPN’s, in anticipation of a phase 3 study of this drug in polycythemia vera patients. 
• Supported SNP array and candidate sequencing projects that have identified several genomic loci that are altered in MPN’s. more research in these areas is ongoing. 
• Provided seed money for a major international research consortium which was able to use our investment to leverage a $19 million NCI grants on the leading edge of basic and translational MPN research. 
• Funded multiple new investigators, motivating and supporting their early interest in the field, helping to assure their lifelong commitment to MPN research, positioning them to receive future government and private grants in the field and positioning them to emerge as leaders in the field. 
• Funded first full genomic sequencing projects for MPN patients which require that data be deposited in a publicly accessible database for qualified scientists world wide to study and evaluate.