ON RESEARCH
MARK SELIGER
THE SHERER
REPORT
A NOTE FROM OUR CEO
Expansion on the Shoulders of Community
As you read on the front page, The Michael
J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) has formally
established a Parkinson’s public policy
program. While our efforts engaging government leaders and regulators are expanding, our dedication to curing Parkinson’s
disease (PD) and improving quality of life is
unwavering. At the same time, we know that
we can pursue these ambitious goals only
with the strong support of the Parkinson’s
community.
As you’ll read on page 7, studies are moving
forward around the most important drug
target in Parkinson’s. As more alphasynuclein projects advance into clinical trials, MJFF has launched a study to measure
this protein in different parts of the body
to test potential therapies and track disease
progression. We’re also learning more about
LRRK2, identifying its cellular “partners”
for more ways to measure treatments and
intervene in the disease process.
And we’re amid a rush of symptomatic
treatments toward pharmacy shelves: a new
therapy for PD psychosis, novel formulations of existing drugs for quick rescue from
“off” episodes, and drugs to offset involuntary movements called dyskinesia.
These advancements are possible because
of the co X