NATICK, Mass., Sept. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ –Boston Scientific Corporation (BSX) received CE Mark approval for use of its Vercise Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) System for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. The Vercise DBS System is the first and only commercially available DBS system to incorporate multiple independent current control, which is designed to selectively stimulate targeted areas in the brain. This system is an innovative technology that is designed to provide physicians fine control of stimulation.

“The launch of the Vercise DBS System represents a key expansion for Boston Scientific,”said Maulik Nanavaty, senior vice president and president of Boston Scientific’s Neuromodulation Division. “Vercise DBS is the only system on the market able to finely control stimulation with multiple independent current control. This unique technology underscores our commitment to improving patients’ lives.”

The first commercial implant of the Vercise DBS System was performed by a team at the University Clinic Wurzburg in Germany that included Prof. Dr. Cordula Matthies, Head of Functional Neurosurgery and Prof. Dr. Jens Volkmann, Director of the Department of Neurology.

“We welcome the Vercise DBS System,” said Prof. Dr. Volkmann. “We believe it represents advancement in DBS technology through flexible and unique programming options. We believe the system gives neurologists the ability to precisely target stimulation based on patient needs.”

The Vercise System is designed to provide comfort, control, and convenience to the clinician’s practice and to patients with Parkinson’s disease. It is intended to minimize side effects of stimulation by controlling current at each individual contact on the lead. In addition, the system is designed to offer unique patient benefits including the longest battery life available for DBS therapy and the smallest stimulator footprint.

“The unique technology offered by the Vercise DBS System provides us with new stimulation options we have never had before,” said Prof. Dr. Matthies. “I look forward to seeing a positive impact in patients’ quality of life.”

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder which affects 6.3 million people worldwide according to European Parkinson’s Disease Association. Deep Brain Stimulators are neurostimulator devices that stimulate specific areas of the brain using electrical signals to treat the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

Patient Testimonials

To view a patient testimonial about the Vercise DBS System, please CLICK HERE.

“I am really satisfied with the outcome of the DBS surgery and finally back to a normal life. When the Wurzburg team proposed the Vercise DBS system with new capabilities, I thought this was the best solution for me. The recharging system is so convenient, simple and easy to use. I am glad that this new system is expected to minimize the need to undergo regular replacement surgeries and related complications,” said Rudolph Roland, a patient with Parkinson’s disease from Wurzburg, Germany.

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TORONTOA long-awaited Canadian trial of a controversial experimental treatment for multiple sclerosis has been given the go-ahead and will soon begin recruiting patients, Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq announced Friday.

Aglukkaq, in Halifax for a meeting with provincial and territorial health ministers, said about 100 MS patients will be enrolled in the trial to assess the safety of the procedure to unblock narrowed neck veins and its efficacy in improving MS symptoms.

The condition dubbed chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency, or CCSVI has been proposed as a possible cause of MS by Italian vascular surgeon Paolo Zamboni.

More than three years ago, Zamboni hypothesized that narrowed and twisted veins in the neck and chest create a back-up of blood in the brain, resulting in iron deposits that could cause the brain lesions typical of MS.

The disease causes the destruction of myelin, the protective sheath around nerves throughout the body, leading to progressive physical and cognitive disability. An estimated 55,000 to 75,000 Canadians have MS, and the county has one of the highest rates of the incurable disease in the world.

Dr. Anthony Traboulsee, medical director of UBC Hospitals MS Clinic, will lead the $6-million study, which will be conducted initially in Vancouver and Montreal. Medical and ethical approval is also being sought for parts of the trial to be conducted in Quebec City and Winnipeg.

Its going to be a randomized-control study where patients who have the presence of CCSVI will be randomly selected to either have the venoplasty, which is dilation of the vein, or a sham treatment, which is not an actual dilation, just a pretend dilation, Traboulsee said Friday from Vancouver.

And after a year, the groups will switch so that everybody eventually gets the dilation of the vein.

A venoplasty to widen veins is the same technique as an angioplasty used to expand coronary arteries; a tiny balloon is fed into the blood vessel, then expanded.

None of the participants will know which treatment they received or during which half of the study, Traboulsee said.

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Multiple sclerosis: Canada launching clinical trial of controversial treatment developed by Zamboni

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Published: Thursday, September 27, 2012, 12:01 a.m.

NEW YORK — A cellular signature seen in the blood of multiple sclerosis patients may help determine their likelihood of relapse, potentially influencing which therapy physicians prescribe, a study found.

Differences in patients’ blood cells delineated them into two groups, one with a 40 percent lower risk of relapse, according to research today in the journal Science Translational Medicine. The findings eventually could help doctors determine whether to prescribe a drug such as Biogen Idec Inc.’s Avonex, which is moderately effective with fewer side effects, or its Tysabri, an aggressive therapy with greater safety issues, said Philip De Jager, a neurologist at Harvard Medical School in Boston and a study author.

Relapsing-remitting MS is the most common form of the illness, which affects more than 2.1 million people worldwide and about 400,000 Americans, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Patients with RRMS get attacks that degrade their neurological function, followed by periods of recovery.

“This study is a very important contribution to developing the kinds of tools that can help the physician personalize treatment,” said Timothy Coetzee, chief research officer of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, in a telephone interview. “The challenge we’ve faced in MS is that for a physician there isn’t a blood test, like for your cholesterol level,” to provide information about the disease.

Doctors aim to be able to attack multiple sclerosis similarly to the way cancer is starting to be treated: by identifying the underlying cause of a patient’s tumor and selecting a drug tailored to attack it, said Coetzee, whose group is based in New York and Denver.

In MS, being able to determine a patient’s likelihood of flare-ups may lead doctors to prescribe a more aggressive treatment earlier, according to De Jager, who is also an MS specialist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

“If we had information about trying to predict the course of the disease, that would be very helpful for managing the patient’s care,” he said in a telephone interview.

The researchers drew on data from a study of the disease out of Brigham and Women’s, feeding information from 363 patients’ immune cells into a computer program that hunted for similarities. The analysis turned up two groups of patients, designated MS(a) and MS(b), separated by cellular differences and the likelihood of patients experiencing an exacerbation.

Patients in the MS(a) group expressed more genes in T-cell receptor and B-cell receptor pathways, which play roles in the immune system, and certain others, the researchers found. Those were the patients more likely to have an inflammatory event.

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Multiple sclerosis finding may change therapy strategy

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NEW YORK, Sept. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:

Therapy Trends: Multiple Sclerosis — KOL Insight and Consensus Outlook Modules

http://www.reportlinker.com/p01006955/Therapy-Trends–Multiple-Sclerosis—-KOL-Insight–and-Consensus-Outlook-Modules.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=Pathology

Charting the Future Multiple Sclerosis Market Landscape

Over the next five years, the global multiple sclerosis (MS) market is set to grow from $12.3 billion in 2011 to $17.3 billion in 2016. Primary drivers of this growth will be the entry of new pipeline therapies, satisfying the unmet needs of convenient administration and more efficacious therapy, and continued uptake of existing therapies.

Therapy Trends Consensus Outlook: Multiple Sclerosis analyses the global MS market players and products of today and tomorrow. Start mapping your market parameters with access to the following comprehensive resources:

An in-depth 5-year forecast report based on analyst consensus, mapping the impact of future events to predicted product performance

A detailed forecast data analysis spreadsheet model comparing critical market parameters including

Timely event-driven market forecast report and data analysis updates over the next 12 months

Mapping Future Events to Product Sales Forecasts

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By Meg Tirrell – 2012-09-26T18:00:00Z

A cellular signature seen in the blood of multiple sclerosis patients may help determine their likelihood of relapse, potentially influencing which therapy physicians prescribe, a study found.

Differences in patients blood cells delineated them into two groups, one with a 40 percent lower risk of relapse, according to research today in the journal Science Translational Medicine. The findings eventually could help doctors determine whether to prescribe a drug such as Biogen Idec Inc. (BIIB)s Avonex, which is moderately effective with fewer side effects, or its Tysabri, an aggressive therapy with greater safety issues, said Philip De Jager, a neurologist at Harvard Medical School in Boston and a study author.

Relapsing-remitting MS is the most common form of the illness, which affects more than 2.1 million people worldwide and about 400,000 Americans, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Patients with RRMS get attacks that degrade their neurological function, followed by periods of recovery.

This study is a very important contribution to developing the kinds of tools that can help the physician personalize treatment, said Timothy Coetzee, chief research officer of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, in a telephone interview. The challenge weve faced in MS is that for a physician there isnt a blood test, like for your cholesterol level, to provide information about the disease.

Doctors aim to be able to attack multiple sclerosis similarly to the way cancer is starting to be treated: by identifying the underlying cause of a patients tumor and selecting a drug tailored to attack it, said Coetzee, whose group is based in New York and Denver.

In MS, being able to determine a patients likelihood of flare-ups may lead doctors to prescribe a more aggressive treatment earlier, according to De Jager, who is also an MS specialist at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston.

If we had information about trying to predict the course of the disease, that would be very helpful for managing the patients care, he said in a telephone interview.

The researchers drew on data from a study of the disease out of Brigham and Womens, feeding information from 363 patients immune cells into a computer program that hunted for similarities. The analysis turned up two groups of patients, designated MS(a) and MS(b), separated by cellular differences and the likelihood of patients experiencing an exacerbation.

Patients in the MS(a) group expressed more genes in T-cell receptor and B-cell receptor pathways, which play roles in the immune system, and certain others, the researchers found. Those were the patients more likely to have an inflammatory event.

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Dual Multiple Sclerosis Finding May Change Therapy

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ScienceDaily (Sep. 26, 2012) There are approximately 400,000 people in the United States with multiple sclerosis. Worldwide, the number jumps to more than 2.1 million people. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach to treating the millions with multiple sclerosis, what if doctors could categorize patients to create more personalized treatments? A new study by researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) may one day make this idea a reality in the fight against the debilitating autoimmune disease.

A research team led by Philip De Jager, MD, PhD, BWH Department of Neurology, senior study author, has found a way to distinguish patients with multiple sclerosis into two meaningful subsets. The ability to categorize patients with multiple sclerosis may open new doors for treatment development.

The study will be electronically published on September 26, 2012 in Science Translational Medicine.

“Our results suggest that we can divide the multiple sclerosis patient population into groups that have different levels of disease activity,” said De Jager. “These results motivate us to improve these distinctions with further research so that we may reach our goal of identifying the best treatment for each individual who has multiple sclerosis.”

De Jager and his team extracted RNA — key molecules involved in making proteins from the instructions found in the DNA sequence — from blood cells of patients with multiple sclerosis. After analyzing the samples, they found distinct sets of RNA molecules among the patient samples. These unique sets formed a transcriptional signature that distinguished two sets of multiple sclerosis patients — MSa patients and MSb patients — with those in the MSa group having a higher risk for future multiple sclerosis relapse.

According to the researchers, knowing the category a person with multiple sclerosis is in may help doctors make more informed treatment decisions. For instance, since a patient who falls into the MSa category is more likely to experience relapse, her doctor may consider a stronger treatment for the patient.

In light of the discovery, the researchers remain cautious about the findings.

“Our study is an important step towards the goal of personalized medicine in MS, but much work remains to be done to understand under which circumstance and in combination with which other information this transcriptional signature may become useful in a clinical setting,” said De Jager.

However, from the pre-clinical perspective, the researchers recognize that the findings are essential because they build on earlier studies that had suggested that this structure might be present.

“The study will further enable the community of MS researchers to build upon this transcriptional signature with other data in order to enhance patient care in the future,” said De Jager.

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Two categories of multiple sclerosis patients defined

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By Serena Gordon HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 26 (HealthDay News) — An experimental screening technique finds that multiple sclerosis patients have two different molecular “signatures” that reflect disease severity.

This suggests that doctors might one day use this tool to help determine who has a more aggressive form of MS and might need earlier treatment with stronger medications, researchers report.

“This study shows there is evidence that we can begin to identify subsets of MS patients, and that we’re moving ever-so-slowly to personalizing MS care,” said study author Dr. Philip De Jager, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and an associate neurologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

But this screening tool “is not ready for the clinic at this point. It needs to be validated in another trial,” De Jager said. He envisions that this test would be one component of a number of tests doctors could use to generate risk estimates.

Results of the study are published in the Sept. 26 issue of Science Translational Medicine.

About 400,000 Americans have MS, a chronic, sometimes disabling disease that affects the central nervous system. The central nervous system includes the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. MS symptoms may include fatigue, numbness in the limbs, balance and coordination problems, bladder or bowel dysfunction, vision problems, pain, and even paralysis.

A few treatment options exist for one type of the disease, but no single therapy helps everyone with MS, and there is no cure.

The four types of MS include relapsing-remitting, primary progressive, secondary progressive and progressive-relapsing, the MS society says. About 85 percent of people with MS have the relapsing-remitting form of the disease, and the available treatments are for this form of the disease.

It’s often difficult to diagnose MS, and it can take even longer to figure out which type someone has. In addition, doctors have no way to predict which patients will respond to a particular drug.

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Screening Tool Reveals Two Multiple Sclerosis Types

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NEW YORK, Sept. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:

Consensus Outlook: Multiple Sclerosis

http://www.reportlinker.com/p01006956/Consensus-Outlook-Multiple-Sclerosis.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=Pathology

Charting the Future Multiple Sclerosis Market Landscape

Over the next five years, the global multiple sclerosis (MS) market is set to grow from $12.3 billion in 2011 to $17.3 billion in 2016. Primary drivers of this growth will be the entry of new pipeline therapies, satisfying the unmet needs of convenient administration and more efficacious therapy, and continued uptake of existing therapies.

Therapy Trends Consensus Outlook: Multiple Sclerosis analyses the global MS market players and products of today and tomorrow. Start mapping your market parameters with access to the following comprehensive resources:

An in-depth 5-year forecast report based on analyst consensus, mapping the impact of future events to predicted product performance

A detailed forecast data analysis spreadsheet model comparing critical market parameters including

Timely event-driven market forecast report and data analysis updates over the next 12 months

Mapping Future Events to Product Sales Forecasts

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Consensus Outlook: Multiple Sclerosis

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Published: Sept. 29, 2012 at 12:57 AM

BOSTON, Sept. 29 (UPI) — A study involving 1,063 men and women who took the sleeping pill benzodiazepine increased the risk of dementia within 15 years, U.S. and French researchers say.

Professor Tobias Kurth of Harvard University’s School of Public Health and doctoral student Sophie Billioti de Gage of the University of Bordeaux in France, said the study — participants were an average age of 78 — were all free of dementia at the start of the trial, but over the next 20 years 253 developed dementia and 30 were benzodiazepine users, The Daily Telegraph reported.

The study, published in the British Medical Journal, found for every 100 people studied for a year — 4.8 who had taken the drugs developed dementia compared with 3.2 who had not.

“Our data add to the accumulating evidence that use of benzodiazepines is associated with increased risk of dementia, which, given the high and often chronic consumption of these drugs in many countries would constitute a substantial public health concern,” Billioti de Gage said in a statement. “Therefore, physicians should carefully assess the expected benefits of the use of benzodiazepines in the light of these adverse effects and, whenever possible, limit prescription to a few weeks as recommended by the good practice guidelines.”

Tobias Kurth, who works jointly at Harvard University’s School of Public Health and the University of Bordeaux, said one single study does not necessarily show everything that is going on, so there is no need to panic.

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Sleeping pills may be linked to dementia

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The number of Australians suffering from dementia is expected to triple to almost one million by 2050, a new report says. Source: Supplied

THE number of people suffering from dementia is expected to triple to 900,000 by 2050, a new report suggests.

It is estimated around 300,000 Australians currently have dementia and it’s thought 400,000 people will be suffering from the disease by 2020.

But by 2050 the number of sufferers will be close to one million.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) director David Kalisch and Alzheimer’s Australia president Ita Buttrose will launch a new report into dementia in Canberra today.

“An average of 25 people died each day from dementia in 2010,” Mr Kalisch said in a statement.

“(Also) as any person with relatives or friends who have dementia knows it has a marked impact on quality of life not only for those with the condition but their families and friends as well.”

The AIHW report Dementia in Australia reveals the disease was the third leading cause of death in 2010 accounting for six per cent of all deaths. Twice as many women as men die from dementia.

The disease was recorded as the underlying or an additional cause of 14 per cent of deaths in 2010.

The report also shows that of the 300,000 existing sufferers, 62 per cent are women.

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DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/g525xq/multiple) has announced the addition of Decision Resources, Inc’s new report “Multiple Sclerosis (Event Driven)” to their offering.

The market for disease-modifying multiple sclerosis (MS) therapies is poised to undergo a dramatic transformation as a suite of new and promising emerging therapies enter the market over the next five years, including the first, and much-anticipated, orally delivered products. Novel therapies will drive growth of the MS market through 2015, but the gains will be constrained by a conservative prescriber base and lingering favoritism for time-tested current agents, at least over the near term, coupled with forecasted generics competition. All new agents are expected to be approved to treat relapsing forms of MS; ample opportunity will remain for therapies to treat the underserved population of patients who suffer progressive forms of the disease.

Key Topics Covered:

Executive Summary

What are the key parameters of the multiple sclerosis market?

What factors are driving the market for multiple sclerosis therapies?

What factors are constraining the market for multiple sclerosis therapies?

What are the drug development activities of note in multiple sclerosis?

What do the experts say?

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Research and Markets: Multiple Sclerosis (Event Driven)

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Alzheimer’s Australia president Ita Buttrose says she is surprised that close to 24,000 people under 65 had dementia in 2011.

She hopes data, released in a new report on Thursday, will convince policy makers to put more money into researching the illness.

‘Dementia is grossly under funded in relation to other chronic diseases,’ she said in Canberra.

‘Now is the time to act if we are to tackle the dementia epidemic.’

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) report into dementia reveals that the number of people suffering from dementia is expected to triple to 900,000 by 2050.

It is estimated about 300,000 Australians have dementia and it’s thought 400,000 people will be suffering from the disease by 2020.

The AIHW report Dementia in Australia reveals the disease was the third leading cause of death in 2010 accounting for six per cent of all deaths. Twice as many women as men die from dementia.

But the figure that caught Ms Buttrose’s eye was that 23,900 people under 65 suffered from dementia in 2011.

‘This is significantly higher than other figures that I have seen,’ she said.

Ms Buttrose renewed her call for the government to provide $200 million for dementia research in the 2013/14 budget.

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By MyHealthNewsDaily staff

Older adults taking psychiatric medications such as Valium or Xanax may be at increased risk of dementia, a new French study suggests.

In the reports, adults older than 65 who took drugs known as benzodiazepines were 50 percent more likely to develop dementia over a 15-year period, compared with those who did not take the drugs.

Benzodiazepines are widely prescribed medications, used to treat symptoms of anxiety and sleep disorders.

The study findings held true even when taking into account other factors that may affect people’s dementia risk, such as age, gender, diabetes and early signs of dementia. The researchers also accounted for some factors that lead people to start taking benzodiazepines in the first place.

Researchers caution that the study only found an association between the drugs and dementia, and not a direct cause-and-effect link.

However, the findings agree with those of several earlier studies looking at the link between benzodiazepines and dementia. Use of the medications has also been tied to other serious events in older adults, such as falls.

“Considering the extent to which benzodiazepines are prescribed and the number of potential adverse effects of this drug class in the general population, [their] indiscriminate, widespread use should be cautioned against,” the researchers said.

Whenever possible, use of the drugs should be limited to just a few weeks, the researchers said. Currently, despite evidence that the drugs work only over short periods, many people take them for years.

The study followed about 1,000 older adults living in France who, at the study’s start, did not have dementia and were not taking benzodiazepines. Over the first five years of the analysis, 95 participants started taking benzodiazepines.

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The sixth annual North Shore Walk for Parkinsons Disease will be held on Saturday, Oct. 20. The 3-mile walk starts at the First Church Congregational, 40 Monument Ave. in Swampscott. Registration is $25 and starts at 10 a.m.; the walk begins at 10:30 a.m. Free T-shirts will be given to the first 100 walkers.

The North Shore Walk for Parkinsons Disease was started by the Wistran family of Swampscott in honor of Dr. Daniel Wistran, who has been battling Parkinsons disease since 1997.

All donations support the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which is dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinsons disease within the decade. Five million people worldwide are living with Parkinsons disease a chronic, degenerative neurological disorder. In the United States, 60,000 new cases will be diagnosed this year alone. There is no known cure for Parkinsons disease.

For more information, call 781-307-5804 or email northshorewalk@gmail.com. Donations may be made online at teamfox.org/goto/northshorewalk.

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Parkinsons Disease and Restless Legs Syndrome Drug Under Review for Heart Failure Risk

Sept. 19, 2012 — The FDA is investigating a possible risk of heart failure linked to Mirapex, a drug used to treat Parkinson’s disease and restless legs syndrome.

Officials say recent studies suggest a potential raised risk of heart failure with the use of Mirapex, but further review of research is needed.

The FDAs safety alert stops short of an official warning announcement for the drug. The agency has not concluded that Mirapex raises the risk of heart failure.

Instead, the FDA says it is working with Mirapexs manufacturer to clarify the risk of heart failure and will update the public when more information is available.

Meanwhile, officials say people taking Mirapex should continue to take the drug as prescribed and contact their health care provider with any questions or concerns.

The alert comes after the FDA pooled results from clinical trials, and analysis suggests heart failure was more common among people taking Mirapex than those taking a placebo.

They also evaluated two population studies that suggested a higher risk of new cases of heart failure among Mirapex users. However, officials say limitations of the studies make it difficult for them to determine whether the risk was related to Mirapex or other factors.

The FDA is continuing to review safety data on Mirapex.

Officials recommend people taking the drug contact a health care professional if they experience any symptoms of heart failure while taking Mirapex, such as:

Excerpt from:
Parkinson's Drug Mirapex Under Safety Review

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GRAND RAPIDS, MI A National Institutes of Health researcher who has uncovered genetic causes of Parkinsons disease today became the first to receive an honor named after Amway co-founder Jay Van Andel.

Dr. Andrew Singleton was honored with the Jay Van Andel Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement in Parkinsons Disease Research during a research symposium at Van Andel Institute.

Jay Van Andel, who died of the effects of Parkinsons in 2004, would have been pleased with the first recipient of the award named after him, said his son, David Van Andel, VAI chairman and chief executive officer.

Dr. Andrew Singleton is the type of scientist he would have envisioned honoring bold, pioneering and working to make a difference in human lives, David Van Andel said.

Singletons accomplishments include the discovery of a duplication and triplication of a gene that causes a severe, early-onset form of Parkinsons.

Scientists already knew that a few extremely rare mutant forms of the protein were bad, but Dr. Singleton showed us that too much of the normal protein also has ramifications, Van Andel said.

Singleton also led a group of researchers that identified mutations in a gene as a cause of familial Parkinsons disease.

His discoveries opened new fields of Parkinsons research, Van Andel said. Singletons lab has research programs investigating genetic diversity and the consequences of genetic alterations.

VAI today began a two-day symposium bringing together experts in Parkinsons disease research to showcase the latest developments.

This is truly a gathering of some of the worlds greatest minds in Parkinsons disease research, said Dr. Patrik Brundin, the chair of the Jay Van Andel Translational Parkinsons Disease Research Laboratory. The research shared at the conference will become the building blocks for therapies that may be commonplace a decade from now.

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Twin Falls, Idaho (KMVT-TV) Tammy Lynard of Filer was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis seven years ago.

She says her brain sends messages that her muscles don’t always get. She tires easily and the heat bothers her. Lynard takes a shot every day, but she wants to help find a cure for MS.

Lynard says, “It was kind of a shock when you first hear about it. You try to get as much information as possible. You see the neurologist, they get you on therapies, hopefully as soon as possible. Hopefully the therapies help you live a better life.”

Like any other medical condition, MS can affect different people to different degrees. Lynard says one out of every 300 people in idaho have multiple sclerosis.

Lynard says, “The MS Society is great with information, they tell you how to get involved, what to do. I heard about the Walk that first year, and I met a lot of people. I found out there’s a lot of people in this area that have the disease. In fact, we’re one of the highest in the nation.”

You can sign up for Saturday’s “Walk MS” in Twin Falls online at walkmsidaho.org , or you can call 1 (800) FIGHT MS, and select option two.

Walk MS will be held this Saturday at the Twin Falls Visitor Center near the Perrine Bridge. Registration starts this Saturday at 8:30 a.m., and the walk begins at ten o’clock.

Walk MS is free to participate in, but the organizers encourage you to raise some money to benefit the cause.

Sept. 19, 2012.

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By Liz Farmer

A scholarship supported by University of Texas football legend Earl Campbell and his son Tyler Campbell could make it easier for students affected by multiple sclerosis to finish college.

Earl Campbell, NFL Hall of Fame running back and Heisman Trophy winner, announced Tuesday that he and his son have raised $60,000 for the nonprofit National Multiple Sclerosis Society to provide scholarships for college students who have MS or who have a parent with MS. The society reports it has awarded $187,000 in scholarships to 22 Texas students this year.

MS is a chronic disease of the central nervous system that interrupts information flow between the body and the brain with symptoms including limb numbness, paralysis and vision loss. Campbell’s son was diagnosed with MS while at San Diego State University.

The Campbells raised part of the scholarship funds through sales of “The Unstoppable Earl Campbell,” a Warner Bros. piece of art signed by Earl Campbell that depicts him in UT gear running a football past cartoon characters including Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam.

“I feel very happy that my son and our family has done something to give back,” Earl Campbell said. Some money came from benefits such as the Flavors of Austin, which featured local food and drinks. Tyler Campbell said raising money for scholarships is great but he’s not satisfied.

“We have to put this disease to rest,” he said.

Scholarship recipient Justin Williams is studying for a degree in neurobiology at UT and said he wants to treat people such as his grandmother and father, who both have MS. “My dad’s doctor made me truly believe a doctor could change someone’s life,” Williams said. “I can’t thank Earl and Tyler enough.”

Bridgette Kieffer, who also got a scholarship, said her mother was diagnosed with MS a few months before she was born. Kieffer said she is pursuing a degree in sociology and English.

“I knew that (college) may not be a possibility because of the cost of medical bills,” Kieffer said. “The scholarship has given my family hope and showed us that there’s more to life.”

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Former Longhorn Earl Campbell gives donation to National Multiple Sclerosis Society

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DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/6lkdr4/global) has announced the addition of the “Global Parkinson’s Disease Drug Pipeline Capsule – 2012 Update” report to their offering.

Fore Pharma’s latest report ‘Global Parkinson’s Disease Drug Pipeline Capsule – 2012 Update’ provides most up-to-date information on key Research and Development activities (R&D) in the global Parkinson’s Disease market. It covers active Parkinson’s Disease pipeline molecules in various stages of clinical trials, preclinical research, and drug discovery.

This report helps executives track competitors pipeline molecules. The information presented in this report can be used for identifying partners, evaluating opportunities, formulating business development strategies, executing in-licensing and out-licensing deals.

The report provides information on pipeline molecules by company and mechanism of action across the R&D stages. It also provides information on pipeline molecules developed in leading geographies (North America and Europe). Licensing activities are thoroughly captured in this report.

Key Features of the Report:

– Parkinson’s Disease: Overview

– Parkinson’s Disease Pipeline Overview

– Parkinson’s Disease Phase 3 Clinical Trial Pipeline Insights

– Parkinson’s Disease Phase 2 Clinical Trial Pipeline Insights

Originally posted here:
Research and Markets: Global Parkinson's Disease Drug Pipeline Capsule – 2012 Update

Source:
http://www.longevitymedicine.tv/feed/

European Multiple Sclerosis Platform is looking for an intern

The Brussels-based European Multiple Sclerosis Platform (EMSP) is looking for a full-time, paid internship to support the organisation from September 2012 onwards in its Public Affairs and Communications efforts. The envisaged duration of the internship is 6 months, with a possible 3-month extension. The intern will provide support on flagship projects of the EMSP (e.g. further development of our YOUTH project) and contribute to the EMSP’s website / web alert as key external communication tools.

Profilea background in communication or EU studies outstanding communication skills and excellent English excellent drafting skills; track-record in contributing to print and online publications a good understanding of European policies and the workings of the EU institutions

Interpersonal skills flexible, can-do attitude well-organised team player yet autonomous

Qualified candidates should submit their CV and cover letter in English to the attention of Christoph Thalheim, Deputy CEO and Director of External Affairs at christoph.thalheim@emsp.org. by the 25th September at the latest. Please note that only short listed candidates will be contacted.

About EMSP The EMSP is representing the interests of 38 national MS societies /patient organisations at the European level, working towards equitable treatment and support for persons with MS throughout Europe. Multiple Sclerosis is the most common debilitating neurological disease of young and middle aged people in Europe. More than 600,000 Europeans are affected.

2012 European voice. All rights reserved.

See the original post here:
Intern – European Multiple Sclerosis Platform

Source:
http://www.longevitymedicine.tv/feed/