Non-profit funding sight-saving research for children
Stories of Hope
Follow A Race Against Blindness research funding, inherited retinal disease developments, community stories, grant announcements, and updates from families racing toward sight-saving treatments.
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RAB has funded a second $1 million grant with the Foundation Fighting Blindness for gene-agnostic research: $700,000 to the Gund Vision Fund, matched to $1.4 million, and $300,000 to Dr. Jin Woo Kim's regenerative research at KAIST.
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Every dollar below has been paid out to research, made possible by the generosity of our sponsors and donors. Real people making an impact on saving children's eyesight.
total research funding, fully paid out · as of November 2026
$3M awarded
To fund the preclinical development and regulatory preparation of AXV-101, a gene therapy for Bardet-Biedl Syndrome type 1 (BBS1), advancing the program toward its first human clinical trial.
$2.1M awarded
To support clinical development of the first-in-human trial, including trial preparation and regulatory progress following clinical trial clearance, and to close the remaining funding gap required to launch the AXV-101 clinical trial, enabling the study to begin in early 2026.
$2M awarded
Through two grants to the Foundation Fighting Blindness, to fund gene-agnostic research: in June, the Gund Vision Fund (formerly the RD Fund) and early-stage gene therapy delivery research with Dr. Thomas Mendel; in November, the Gund Vision Fund and regenerative research with Dr. Jin Woo Kim at KAIST. The Gund Foundation Challenge matched the $1,475,000 directed to the Fund dollar for dollar.
RAB has funded a second $1 million grant with the Foundation Fighting Blindness for gene-agnostic research: $700,000 to the Gund Vision Fund, matched to $1.4 million, and $300,000 to Dr. Jin Woo Kim's regenerative research at KAIST.
Read moreA dated record of every research grant A Race Against Blindness has paid out: $5.1M for the AXV-101 gene-therapy trial for Bardet-Biedl syndrome, and $2M for gene-agnostic therapies, plus community support for the 2026 BBS conference.
Read moreA Race Against Blindness has committed $1 million toward inherited retinal disease research through a partnership with the Foundation Fighting Blindness and the RD Fund. With matching funds, the total impact of this commitment will reach $1.55 million, helping advance promising therapies for families affected by vision loss.
Read moreNewly added funding closes critical gap and enables planned trial initiation in early 2026
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