JUNE | 2012
MJFF LAUNCHES FIRST SMART- MATCH TOOL FOR PARKINSON’ S STUDIES
Slow recruitment of volunteers for clinical trials is a major hurdle to Parkinson’ s research progress. MJFF launches a smart-match tool to connect volunteers with clinical trials based on location and medical history. The tool centralizes information about research participation in one user-friendly website, and enables two-way messaging between clinical trial teams and potential volunteers, while preserving volunteers’ anonymity. Tens of thousands of individuals sign up to join a standing army of research volunteers for Parkinson’ s studies.
ALPHA-SYNUCLEIN TREATMENT ENTERS FIRST CLINICAL TRIALS
Scientists hypothesize that a therapy targeting alpha-synuclein— the protein that clumps in the cells of people with Parkinson’ s— may be our best target for a drug that would help the broad disease population. The Foundation’ s de-risking strategy drives the advancement of alphasynuclein therapeutics to development as biotechs AFFiRiS and ReMYnd announce that their synuclein programs are entering the first human trials. This leap paves the way for 12 other alpha-synuclein therapies to enter clinical testing by 2020.
APRIL | 2012 11