$109 million raised for inherited retinal disease research

The Foundation Fighting Blindness announced that the Gordon and Llura Gund Family Challenge has raised more than $109 million in new funding, exceeding its goal by $9 million.

The world's largest private funder of early, translational and clinical-stage research for inherited, blinding retinal diseases, the Fund will use the funds to advance pre-clinical research and clinical trials in sight-preserving and restoring treatments.

Throughout the 2-year challenge, Foundation co-founder Gordon Gund and his wife, Llura, provided unlimited, dollar-for-dollar matches for all new or increased gifts to the Foundation exceeding $25,000. The Foundation has helped fund 20 clinical trials for gene, stem cell, medical and nutritional therapies.

“It is with immense gratitude that my wife Lulie and I express our sincere thanks to the more than 200 donors who made our dream of raising well over $100 million a reality,” said Gordon Gund. “Their generosity will make it possible for the incredible research advances made in recent years to continue on an accelerated basis to unlock the answers we need to cure retinal diseases.”