New Research Funding From Solve M.E. Advances Innovative ME/CFS and Long Covid Studies Toward Treatments

Two Solve Catalyst Award-winning projects will expand whole-genome discovery and test a promising low-cost therapy targeting inflammation and energy dysfunction—key steps toward biomarkers and clinical trials.

LOS ANGELES, May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of World ME Awareness Day, Solve M.E. announced today new funding for two research studies aimed at accelerating progress toward diagnostics and treatments for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and Long Covid.

ME/CFS and Long Covid are complex, disabling illnesses that can cause crushing fatigue, cognitive impairment, pain, and a severe worsening of symptoms after even minor activity. Despite affecting millions worldwide, there are still no FDA-approved treatments, no definitive diagnostic tests, and limited research funding, leaving patients with few answers and little medical support.

Solve's Catalyst Awards are designed to close the funding gap and ensure that promising studies do not stall. 

The Catalyst Award-Winning Studies:

• "Mitochondrial stabilizer IVO-21 as therapy for ME/CFS"
  Dr. Jay H. Chung (National Institutes of Health) is testing a low-cost pill medication called IVO in preclinical mouse models to see if it boosts cellular energy and reduces inflammation—mechanisms believed to drive symptoms such as fatigue and brain fog. Dr. Chung's study could pave the way for a safe, accessible treatment that addresses the root causes of this complex disease.
   
• "Sequence ME & Long Covid"
  The DecodeME management team (Prof. Chris Ponting, Sonya Chowdhury, and Andy Devereux-Cooke) is expanding a major genetic study by using whole genome sequencing to analyze all 3 billion genetic positions in participants, providing 3,000x more data than standard GWAS. The study could reveal many more genes, gene-regulation elements, and biological pathways that affect ME/CFS and Long Covid risk, advance efforts to identify new biomarkers for disease subtypes, and lead to new treatments.

Solve M.E. President and CEO Emily Taylor observed, "These Catalyst Award-winning studies are designed to bridge the gap between research and clinical trials, helping scientists move closer to testing new therapies in people. Solve's support of these projects reflects our passionate commitment to patient-driven research, shaped by the priorities and real-life experiences of those living with these devastating illnesses."

The DecodeME Management Team added, "With Catalyst Award funding, Solve is helping to mobilize this critical study by supporting recruitment and laying the foundations for the sequencing and analysis of the whole genomes of people with ME/CFS and Long Covid. We hope that this detailed picture will allow researchers to search for the biological causes of ME/CFS with unprecedented precision and lead to breakthroughs in diagnosis and treatment."

The Catalyst Awards program is a focused initiative to fund promising research projects that have already made significant strides in advancing our understanding of ME/CFS, Long Covid, and associated conditions, and are poised to deliver meaningful results with just a bit more support. These awards will accelerate progress, providing targeted funding to help outstanding studies reach completion, publication, or the next phase of investigation faster. By spotlighting projects with strong potential widespread impact, the Catalyst Awards ensure that vital progress continues and that innovative science moves forward regardless of federal funding cycles.

Solve will host the honorees for free educational webinars in which they will discuss their work. Click here to register for those webinars and to learn more about the Catalyst Award-winning studies. 

To donate to Solve, go to www.solveme.org/donate.

About Solve M.E.:
The Solve ME/CFS Initiative (Solve M.E.) is a 501(c)(3) organization advancing critical research into diagnostics, treatments, and cures for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), Long Covid, and other infection-associated chronic conditions and illnesses (IACCIs). For more information, visit SolveME.org. 

SOURCE Solve M.E.