WASHINGTON, March 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD), the leading U.S. non-profit driving Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy care, research, and advocacy efforts, and Secretome Therapeutics (Secretome) are excited to announce that PPMD has provided $250,000 in funding to Secretome through PPMD Venture Pathways, the organization's venture-philanthropy initiative that provides funding to industry to accelerate therapeutic development for Duchenne and Becker. This funding commitment aims to advance the development of STM-01, Secretome's neonatal cardiac progenitor cell (nCPC) product for the treatment of Duchenne-associated cardiomyopathy.

Even with meaningful progress in care and treatment, cardiomyopathy remains the leading cause of death in Duchenne, underscoring the need for continued focus on cardiac health. PPMD has had a long-standing interest in improving all aspects of cardiac care in Duchenne through the organization's Cardiac Initiative, which has focused on enhancing understanding of the natural history of cardiomyopathy in Duchenne, supporting development and advocating for regulatory acceptance of cardiac endpoints in clinical research, and identifying potential cardiac therapeutics.

"PPMD has been committed through our Cardiac Initiative to continue to push the field of cardiac care forward. Through PPMD Venture Pathways, we can provide support to usher in yet another approach for treating patients with Duchenne," explains Katherine Beaverson, MS, PPMD's Chief Executive Officer. "Cardiomyopathy is the leading cause of death in Duchenne and we must continue to support a multitude of cardiac therapeutic approaches to ensure we find therapies to help patients."

Secretome's lead investigational product, STM-01, is a neonatal cardiac progenitor cell (nCPC) therapy. The nCPCs are derived from tissue collected during neonatal heart surgeries and delivered as an infusion. Once nCPCs are infused, they release a number of factors, such as exosomes and other factors, that have shown in preclinical models to impact inflammation and fibrosis, and improve cardiac function. It is important to note that these cells do not engraft to tissue, but release a payload in order to impart their effect.

STM-01 is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1 non-Duchenne study of adults with Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction. PPMD's support will enable Secretome to rapidly advance STM-01 towards the clinic to understand its safety and efficacy in Duchenne.

"PPMD's investment is both meaningful and catalytic as we work to advance STM-01 toward clinical evaluation in Duchenne," shares Vinny Jindal, President, CEO and Co-founder of Secretome Therapeutics. "Cardiac disease remains a critical unmet need in this community, and this support enables us to accelerate development of our neonatal cardiac progenitor cell therapy with the goal of addressing the underlying drivers of cardiomyopathy. We are proud to partner with PPMD, whose leadership and commitment to innovative approaches continue to move the field forward."

PPMD's investment in Secretome builds on the organization's 30-year legacy of funding more than $55 million in Duchenne and Becker research to enhance our knowledge of dystrophinopathies. In addition to substantial preclinical and academic research funding, PPMD's Venture Pathways program provides funding to biopharmaceutical companies, which allows companies to complete critical studies needed to advance investigational products to the clinic. These funding commitments also create the opportunity for PPMD to have a financial return that can be reinvested into its research strategy and support additional work in the future. All of PPMD's research-funding commitments undergo rigorous scientific evaluation and are selected on the basis of potential benefit to the Duchenne and Becker community. Learn more about PPMD's Venture Pathways program.

About Secretome Therapeutics

Secretome Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company based in Plano, Texas, developing novel therapies derived from neonatal cardiac progenitor cells (nCPCs). Our lead product, STM-01, is a cellular therapy designed to modulate inflammatory and fibrotic pathways and support myocardial function in Duchenne muscular dystrophy, dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Additionally, Secretome Therapeutics is advancing STM-21, a secretome-based therapeutic currently in preclinical development, and other novel nCPC-based products.

About Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy

Duchenne is a genetic disorder that slowly robs people of their muscle strength. Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD) fights every single battle necessary to end Duchenne.

We demand optimal care standards and ensure every family has access to expert healthcare providers, cutting edge treatments, and a community of support. We invest deeply in treatments for this generation of Duchenne patients and in research that will benefit future generations. Our advocacy efforts have secured hundreds of millions of dollars in funding and won eight FDA approvals.

Everything we do—and everything we have done since our founding in 1994—helps those with Duchenne live longer, stronger lives. We will not rest until we end Duchenne for every single person affected by the disease. Join our fight against Duchenne at EndDuchenne.org. Follow PPMD on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

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SOURCE Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD)