In 2023, the Institute continued its dynamic transformation and the deployment of its strategy to support research and innovation. It was also a key year for the emergence of muscle as a public health issue.
We all share the same ambition: to support patients throughout their care pathway and to develop strong synergies to bridge the gap between research and treatment for neuromuscular diseases.
We are pursuing our objective with determination: to give myology its rightful place in our research and our health, commensurate with the public health challenge it represents.
/ MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT – LAURENCE TIENNOT-HERMENT
“Under our leadership, 2023 was a key year for the emergence of muscle as a public health issue. Without muscle, it’s impossible to move, walk, run or talk, impossible to eat, impossible to breathe…”
By interacting with numerous organs and biological mechanisms, muscle is a vital organ, an indicator of our general state of health: regulating cholesterol, strengthening the immune system, reducing osteoporosis, preventing chronic pathologies (cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, etc.), the health of the youngest and the independence of the oldest, health in the workplace, etc. This major role was demonstrated by the very first muscle conference we organised on 1 June at the Conseil Economique, Social et Environnemental. The event brought together nearly 250 participants from all walks of life, and launched the first Muscle Week aimed at raising awareness among the general public. Building on the success of this event, in early 2024, with the support of over forty leading figures from the worlds of health, research, sport, welfare and work, we put forward a plea for a national, cross-disciplinary Muscle Plan based on two strategic areas: prevention and innovation.
The knowledge and study of muscle, whether healthy, injured, sporting or ageing, is also the ambition of our Myology Foundation project, which we are continuing to develop. This future Foundation, which should be housed in a new building of almost 10,000 m2 near the Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital in Paris by 2027, embodies our desire to give a new dimension to myology, from diseased muscle to healthy, ageing or trained muscle, and to attract the best international expertise and the most promising innovations.
Because our families affected by neuromuscular diseases know first-hand how vital muscle is, we are determined to pursue our objective: to give myology its rightful place in our research and our health, commensurate with the public health challenge it represents.
// MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY GENERAL – DR VINCENT VARLET
“Committing ourselves to an ambitious model”
We are making great strides towards a model full of ambition to better serve our vision: to better understand muscle, a real organ at the service of the whole body, whether it is sick, injured, ageing or even healthy. By investing in and transforming our business, we will be more than ever at the service of our cause, putting the patient at the forefront of our concerns.
In a world where technology is advancing rapidly, and because of the large amount of data we have to process, we are acquiring new business expertise and cutting-edge equipment to meet the requirements of our strategic plan.
This period of transition to the Myology Foundation and its future building is full of challenges that our teams are taking up with great energy and commitment, both in terms of scientific and medical projects, and also by getting involved in key events to publicise the issues at stake, such as the ‘Muscle Conferences’ for stakeholders and the ‘Muscle Week’ for the general public. To do this, we also need to ‘invent’ by finding additional resources.
/// MESSAGE FROM THE MEDICAL & SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR – PROF. BERTRAND FONTAINE
“We are continuing to make advances in research and clinical development to accelerate the care of neuromuscular patients and access to innovative treatments. “
In 2023, our I-Motion clinical trial platforms continued to grow, in particular with the ramp-up of Adult clinical trials. This platform, which is attached to our Neuro-Myology department, strengthens our clinical activities and our diagnostic expertise, as well as our therapeutic management and support for patients throughout their treatment, in close collaboration with our research teams. Psychological care for patients and their families is another of the department’s strengths.
The Neuromuscular Investigation Centre (NIC) brings together teams using high-performance tools to assess muscle and muscle diseases, including medical imaging, morphology, muscle tissue collection and strength assessment. This encourages interaction with teams from the Service of Neuro-Myology and the Center of Research.
Publications and patent applications have also continued at an intensive pace. Our researchers, engineers, technicians, post-doctoral and doctoral students remain fully committed to advancing research in Myology.
Together with the AP-HP, the Institute of Myology also coordinates the ERN Euro-NMD (European Reference Network for Neuromuscular Diseases), which continues to develop as a major player and international centre of reference and expertise in myology and neuromuscular diseases.
Download the Rapport Annuel 2023 de l’Institut de Myologie (in French)
