The Speak Foundation has announced the 2026 LGMD Scientific Summit, a virtual international meeting set to take place on July 31, 2026. The summit will bring together global researchers, clinicians, biotechnology innovators, regulators, and patient advocates to discuss recent progress in limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) research, clinical development, and therapeutic innovation.
The event occurs at a significant time for the LGMD field, as multiple therapeutic programs advance through clinical stages and new biomarkers emerge. Scientific sessions are scheduled to address gene therapy, regenerative medicine, biomarker qualification, natural history studies, and patient-focused drug development. The summit also aims to highlight collaborative strategies intended to accelerate the delivery of new treatments for those living with the condition.
A group of leading scientific figures will feature at the summit, including Douglas Sproule of BridgeBio Neuromuscular, Louise Rodino-Klapac of Sarepta Therapeutics, and Barry Byrne of the University of Florida. Other experts participating include John Vissing from the University of Copenhagen, Nicholas Johnson from Virginia Commonwealth University, Peter Kang from the University of Minnesota, Tahseen Mozaffar from the University of California, Irvine, Simone Spüler from Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Brad Williams of the Jain Foundation, and Elizabeth McNally from Northwestern University.
Additional clinical and scientific presentations will be delivered by representatives from various biotechnology companies and non-profit research organizations, including AskBio, Genethon, MyoPax, Edgewise Therapeutics, Advertent Biotherapeutics, Kinea Bio, Myogenica, and Cure Rare Disease.
The summit will also host a dedicated panel featuring representatives from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the patient community. This discussion will examine patient-centered clinical trial design, stakeholder engagement, and collaborative approaches aimed at accelerating therapeutic development for rare neuromuscular diseases.
