- Fox Foundation to sponsor a clinical trial to study Sanofi compound -

PARIS , France , April 19, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - Sanofi (EURONEXT: BSAC - News) (NYSE: SNY - News) announced today that it has entered into a collaboration with the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) to conduct a clinical trial to assess the safety and tolerability of AVE 8112, a Sanofi PDE4 inhibitor - phosphodiesterase type 4 inhibitor - in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD).

"AVE8112 has shown promising pro-cognitive activity in preclinical models that could be of interest to the under-addressed cognitive aspects of Parkinson's disease, an area of unmet need where a new treatment could make a tangible difference in patients' lives," said Todd Sherer , Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of MJFF. "Groundbreaking collaborations with like-minded partners such as Sanofi are a hallmark of the Fox Foundation's approach and help us speed scientific advances with potential to improve the treatment of Parkinson's for patients today and in the future."

Under the terms of the collaboration, MJFF will sponsor a phase I b clinical trial to assess the safety and tolerability of AVE8112 in patients with Parkinson's disease. All data and results generated by the clinical trial will be owned by MJFF and shared with Sanofi. Further development plans will be based upon the results of the study.

"The Michael J. Fox Foundation has been a driving force in discovering and developing improved therapies for those living with Parkinson's disease. Through this research collaboration, together we will be able to study Sanofi's pharmaceutical compound for a possible new treatment for PD patients around the world," said Dr. Elias Zerhouni , President, Global R&D, Sanofi. "We hope to continue to develop relationships with private foundations like the Michael J. Fox Foundation to pool our resources and maximize the potential of our drug portfolio to address unmet medical needs."

The clinical trial will be conducted at clinical sites in the United States in Baltimore , MD, and Los Angeles , CA. Patient enrollment in the study is expected to begin later this year.

***

About Parkinson's Disease Over one million people in the US and an estimated 5 million people globally suffer from Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder caused by the diminished production of dopamine, a key neurotransmitter, resulting in progressive impairment of motor function including tremors, rigidity and difficulty in moving. Another symptom of PD is cognitive dysfunction, such as difficulty planning, sequencing, initiating and sustaining behavior toward a goal. Estimates vary but some studies suggest a cognitive deficit may occur in up to 80% of people with Parkinson's. While there is a drug approved for the treatment of dementia in PD, there are currently no treatments available for patients who experience less severe cognitive impairments.

About Sanofi Sanofi, a global and diversified healthcare leader, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients' needs. Sanofi has core strengths in the field of healthcare with seven growth platforms: diabetes solutions, human vaccines, innovative drugs, consumer healthcare, emerging markets, animal health and the new Genzyme. Sanofi is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: BSAC - News) and in New York (NYSE: SNY - News).

About The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research As the world's largest private funder of Parkinson's research, The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to accelerating a cure for Parkinson's disease and improved therapies for those living with the condition today. The Foundation pursues its goals through an aggressively funded, highly targeted research program coupled with active global engagement of scientists, Parkinson's patients, business leaders, clinical trial participants, donors and volunteers. In addition to funding more than $285 million in research to date, the Foundation has fundamentally altered the trajectory of progress toward a cure. Operating at the hub of worldwide Parkinson's research, the Foundation forges groundbreaking collaborations with industry leaders, academic scientists and government research funders; increases the flow of participants into Parkinson's disease clinical trials with its online tool, Fox Trial Finder; promotes Parkinson's awareness through high-profile advocacy, events and outreach; and coordinates the grassroots involvement of thousands of Team Fox members around the world. Now through December 31, 2012 , all new and increased giving to The Michael J. Fox Foundation, as well as gifts from donors who have not given since 2009 or earlier, will be matched on a dollar-for-dollar basis with the $50-million Brin Wojcicki Challenge, launched by Sergey Brin and Anne Wojcicki .

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Sanofi and Michael J. Fox Foundation Collaborate on Potential New Treatment for Parkinson's Disease

Readmore: Local, News, Parkinson's Disease, Want to Learn more about Parkinson's Disease?, Parkinsons Conference, Crown Reef Resort, Parkinson's Conference at Crown Reef Resort

Parkinson's Disease affects nearly one million people in the United States.

A man who has the disorder and his mother put on a conference at the Crown Reef Resort Thursday to teach people about the disease.

Parkinson's involves the malfunction or death of nerve cells in the brain that produce a chemical that sends messages to part of the brain that controls movement.

The cause of Parkinson's in unknown and there is no cure. But there are treatment options like medication and surgery to manage symptoms.

"There is a lot of hope out there. There's a lot of new medications coming through the pipeline that will be helpful. We also encourage people to live their lives to the fullest everyday," says Karlin Schroeder with the Parkinsons Disease Foundation.

Clickhereto read more about Parkinson's Disease.

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Want to learn more about Parkinson's Disease?

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Huntsville resident Jennifer Neathery will be hitting the streets of downtown Nashville Saturday for a 26.2 mile challenge to raise money and awareness about a disease she's battled for seven year's, Parkinson's.

In an effort to promote Parkinson's Awareness Month in the community, Neathery will be participating in the St. Jude Country Music Marathon to raise money for the Parkinson's Disease Foundation. She says her motivation for embarking on the 26.2-mile challenge is to not only generate awareness, but to show that "no matter what your circumstances are, you can do anything you can your mind to."

Neathery, an avid runner, was diagnosed with young onset Parkinson's disease seven years ago at 32. Despite her disease's hardships, Neathery decided to partake in the run to challenger herself and prove to others that Parkinson's doesn't mean "giving up being active and living a good life."

The runner's goal is to raise $500 as she runs in the Nashville marathon on Saturday. She will be one of more than 35,000 participants in the race, which is a part of the Rock 'n' Roll marathon series.

Robin Elliott, the executive director for the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, says champions such as Neathery remind her of what the organization does and why.

"Because Parkinson's affects nearly 1 million Americans and we need to find a cure," he said. "We applaud her efforts to not only help PDF to fund the most promising research, but also to raise awareness in her community and around the U.S. about the impact of the disease."

To learn more about Neathery's fundraising efforts or to donate, contact the Parkinson's Disease Foundation by calling 800-457-6676, visit pdf.org or email info@pdf.org.

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Huntsville runner with Parkinson's disease to run in marathon

KIRKLAND, Wash., April 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A recent clinical trial conducted at Evergreen Healthcare shows that a new form of a common drug used to treat Parkinson's Disease greatly improves the quality of life for patients and reduces the affects of symptoms such as tremors, slowness, stiffness and difficulty walking.

Evergreen was the only site in the Pacific Northwest to hold the trial, which was led by Dr. C. Warren Olanow, a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology and Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York.

The trial tested standard oral dosages of a Parkinson's drug against the newer levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) and found that the intestinal treatments gave patients an average of two extra hours per day of reduced symptoms and improved movement.

"We have been involved in the trials since 2008," said Dr. Alida Griffith, principal investigator for the trial at Evergreen's Booth Gardner Parkinson's Care Center. "Levodopa is the 'gold standard' treatment for Parkinson's disease."

The intestinal gel contains levodopa and carbidopa, two drugs commonly prescribed for Parkinson's, and is infused through a portable pump connected to a tube implanted in the intestine.

In the three-month, double-blind trial, 71 participants were randomized to receive either the continuous infusion of LCIG and dummy pills or a dummy intestinal gel and pills that contained levodopa and carbidopa. At the start of the study, the average person had Parkinson's disease for about 11 years and experienced 6.6 hours of symptomatic behavior per day. A total of 93 percent of participants completed the study.

The results of the study are set to be presented as part of the Emerging Science program (formerly known as Late-Breaking Science) at the American Academy of Neurology's 64th Annual Meeting in New Orleans from April 21 to April 28, 2012.

The study was supported by Abbott.

Learn more about Parkinson's disease at http://www.aan.com/patients.

To learn more about the Evergreen Neuroscience Institute, visit http://www.evergreenhealthcare.org/parkinsons or call the Evergreen Healthline 425.899.3000.

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Clinical Trial at Evergreen Healthcare Shows Intestinal Gel Reduces Symptoms of Advanced Parkinson's Disease

Published Friday, 20 April 2012

Researchers from around the world are coming together to study Parkinson's (Getty)

The announcement was made at a special event at Queen's University, as part of Parkinson's Awareness Week.

Parkinson's UK says the research study will boost the chances of finding a cure to stop the devastating symptoms, including tremors, mood changes, movement difficulties, loss of smell and speech problems.

The charity is looking to recruit up to 3,000 sufferers throughout the UK, who are at an early stage of the condition, for the study called 'Tracking Parkinson's'.

The aim of the 1.6m study is to identify elusive biomarkers and develop simple tests, like blood tests, to diagnose the disease.

We could identify some of the problems and, moving forward, we could actually treat Parkinson's rather than the symptoms, and that would be a cure.

Kieran Breen, Director of Research and Innovation at Parkinson's UK

As part of the study, the responses to treatments for tremors, movement problems, anxiety, memory lapses and digestion problems will be closely monitored for up to five years.

"Studies like 'Tracking Parkinson's' could make a huge difference and help us to ultimately find a cure," said Dr Kieran Breen.

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NI in Parkinson's research world first

Public release date: 19-Apr-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Deb Song deb_song@rush.edu 312-942-0588 Rush University Medical Center

(CHICAGO) In the 19th century, Jean-Martin Charcot, the celebrated neurologist, developed a "vibration chair," to relieve symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Charcot reported improvements in his patients, but he died shortly thereafter and a more complete evaluation of the therapy was never conducted. Now, a group of neurological researchers at Rush University Medical Center have replicated his work in a study to see if Charcot's observation holds true against modern scientific testing.

Results from the study indicate that while vibration therapy does significantly improve some symptoms of Parkinson's disease, the effect is due to placebo or other nonspecific factors, and not the vibration. The findings are published in the April issue of Journal of Parkinson's Disease.

"We attempted to mimic Charcot's protocol with modern equipment in order to confirm or refute an historical observation," explains lead investigator Christopher G. Goetz, MD, director of the Parkinson's disease and Movement Disorders Center at Rush. "Both the treated group and the control group improved similarly, suggesting other factors had an effect on Parkinson's disease motor function."

Charcot's patients told him that during long carriage rides or train journeys, uncomfortable or painful symptoms of Parkinson's disease seemed to disappear, and the relief lasted quite some time after the journey. He developed a chair that mimicked the continuous jerking of a carriage or train.

Goetz and his colleagues randomly assigned 23 patients to either a vibrating chair or the same chair without vibration. During the treatment sessions, both groups of study participants listened to a relaxation CD of nature sounds. Study participants underwent daily treatment for a month.

The patients in the vibration treatment group showed significant improvement in motor function after daily 30-minute treatments for four weeks. Although not as high, motor function scores for the no vibration group also improved significantly. Both groups showed similar and significant improvement in depression, anxiety, fatigue, and nighttime sleep and both groups reported similar high satisfaction with their treatment.

"Our results confirm Charcot's observation of improvement in Parkinson's disease symptomology with chronic vibration treatment, but we did not find the effect specific to vibration," said Goetz. "Instead, our data suggest that auditory sensory stimulation with relaxation in a lounge chair or simply the participation in a research protocol has equivalent benefit as vibration on motor function."

"While we can agree that our results may not change scientific thinking on treatment mechanisms, our results will allow clinicians to guide patients to at least one apparatus that is safe and associated with objective changes in parkinsonian impairment scores," said Goetz. "Charcot's advice to colleagues resonates as one places vibration therapy in the context of potential options for patients. 'It is no small gain to be able to relieve the sufferers of paralysis agitans.'"

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19th century therapy for Parkinson's disease may help patients today

ATLANTA, April 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Data examining the effect of Neupro (rotigotine transdermal system) in both Parkinson's disease and Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) will be presented at the 64th American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA, between April 21-28, 2012. Key data presentations will focus on post hoc analyses of pivotal and other studies of rotigotine transdermal system and are designed to investigate the impact of rotigotine transdermal system on the core symptoms of RLS and on the motor and underlying symptoms of Parkinson's disease such as depression, anxiety, anehdonia, fatigue and pain.

"These resultsaddto thebody of clinical evidencesupporting rotigotine transdermal system. The dataunderscore UCB's continuing commitment to discovering and developing therapies that address unmet medical needs for potentially debilitating central nervous system disorders," said Dr. James Zackheim, PhD, Senior Medical Director, Central Nervous System Business Unit, UCB, Inc.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Neupro (rotigotine transdermal system) for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of advanced stage idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) and as a treatment for moderate-to-severe primary RLS. Neupro was previously approved by the FDA for the signs and symptoms of early stage idiopathic PD. The FDA has also approved UCB's new formulation of Neupro.

Following is a guide to UCB-supported research featuring rotigotine transdermal system being presented during the AAN Annual Meeting. For more information please contact Andrea Levin at 404.483.7329 or Andrea.Levin@ucb.com.

Parkinson's disease abstracts

1. [P.06.088] Abstract Title: Rotigotine Transdermal System Improves Neuropsychiatric Features (Apathy, Anhedonia, Anxiety, and Depression) and Fatigue in Patients With Parkinson's Disease: A Post-hoc Analysis of Five Double-blind Placebo-controlled Studies Date/Time: Thursday, April 26, 20127:30 am 12:00 pm Session Info:Session P06: Assessment and Treatment of Parkinson's Disease

2. [P.06.085] Abstract Title: Rotigotine Transdermal System Improves Pain in Patients With Parkinson's Disease: A Post-hoc Analysis of Patients Reporting Pain in the RECOVER StudyDate/Time: Thursday, April 26, 20127:30 am 12:00 pm Session Info:Session P06: Assessment and Treatment of Parkinson's Disease

3. Abstract Title: An International Study to Investigate Rotigotine Dose Response (2-8 mg/24 h) on 'Off' Time in Patients With Advanced Stage Parkinson's Disease Date/Time: Wednesday, April 25, 2012 5:45 pm 7:00 pm

RLS abstracts

4. [P04.032] Abstract Title: Effects of 24-h Transdermal Delivery of Rotigotine on the Core Symptoms and Symptom Impact of Restless Legs Syndrome/Willis-Ekbom Disease: A Post-hoc Analysis of IRLS Single Item Data from a 6-month Placebo-controlled European StudyDate/Time:Wednesday, April 25, 20127:30 am 12:00 pm Session Info:Session P04: Movement Disorders: Restless Legs Syndrome, and Tardive Dyskinesia

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New Neupro® Data in Parkinson's Disease and Restless Legs Syndrome to be Presented at the 64th American Academy of ...

ATLANTA, April 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --To help people learn more about the full range of symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease, global biopharmaceutical company UCB, Inc., is launching a new online community -- Parkinson's More than Motion -- that provides a platform for people living with Parkinson's disease and their caregivers to interact and learn from others with the condition. Part of this launch is the debut of a new reality-style video series depicting real families living with the condition.

"My family and I are telling my story in the More than Motion community to encourage others to educate themselves about all symptoms of Parkinson's disease, so they can best manage the condition," said Jo-Ann Golec, who was diagnosed more than 15 years ago and has become an active Parkinson's disease advocate.

The Parkinson's More than Motion community includes a Facebook page where people can add their voices to the conversation, connect with experts, take quizzes and more:

One million Americans currently live with Parkinson's disease. Symptoms of Parkinson's disease are typically categorized as either affecting motor function or non-motor function. The cardinal motor symptoms include stiffness, tremors, slow movements and postural instability. In addition, the medical and research communities are starting to better understand the full spectrum of symptoms that can have a significant impact on a patient's life. These include:

In celebration of Parkinson's Awareness Month, which occurs each April in the U.S., Parkinson's More than Motion will travel to community events this month including the American Academy of Neurology's Brain Health Fair in New Orleans and the Parkinson's Unity Walk in New York City.

To learn more about Parkinson's More than Motion and to view the first installment of the video series, visit Facebook.com/ParkinsonsMorethanMotion.

More About Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease is a chronic, progressive, neurological disease that occurs when certain cells in the brain stop producing enough of a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine plays several important roles in the body -- it helps regulate movement and it plays a role in cognitive and emotional function.

As dopamine levels fall, the cardinal motor symptoms (stiffness, tremors, slow movement, and postural instability) can progress, along with the underlying non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease, which are less well-recognized and may be under-treated. It is estimated that 60 percent of people with Parkinson's have two or more non-motor symptoms, and that 25 percent have four or more.

Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurological disorder affecting older people in the United States. Each year, between 50,000 and 60,000 new cases of Parkinson's disease are diagnosed in the U.S.; worldwide it is estimated that 7 to 10 million people have Parkinson's disease.

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New Online Community Highlights that Living with Parkinson's Disease May Involve More Than Motion™

by Philip Haldiman - Mar. 25, 2012 10:08 PM The Republic | azcentral.com

Everybody knows that Muhammad Ali floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee.

But he can also throw a pretty mean fundraising party.

Celebrity Fight Night has raised more than $70 million since it started in 1994, when celebrities first donned oversize boxing gloves and duked it out for the fight against Parkinson's disease in front of 400 people.

Celebrity Fight Night in Phoenix

Now a mainstay of fundraising events in the Valley, this year the gala set a record with 1,300 people in attendance and raised more than $9.1 million Saturday at JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort and Spa in north Phoenix.

The money raised will go to the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center at St. Joseph's Barrow Neurological Institute, as well as other charities.

The 10,000-square-foot facility, established in 1997 and named after the former heavyweight boxing champion, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 1984, is on the campus of St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix.

The progressive disorder of the brain can cause tremors, rigidity, poor posture and coordination, and difficulty performing voluntary movements.

Saturday's Fight Night XVIII was a black-tie affair featuring stars from many walks of life -- athletes, actors and comedians -- mingling with Valley residents. Celebrities like Evander Holyfield, Billy Crystal, Bo Derek and Kurt Warner walked the red carpet.

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Muhammad Ali's Celebrity Fight Night targets disease

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April is Parkinson's Awareness Month-Parkinson Society Canada Encourages Canadians With Parkinson's to Get Active, Get ...

A devastated Michael J. Fox initially turned to alcohol to cope with his Parkinson's disease diagnosis.

The Family Ties star discovered he had the degenerative disorder back in 1991 and confesses he took to the bottle to drown his sorrows.

He tells Parade magazine, "For a time I dealt with it with alcohol, which turned out to be a disaster. I'd always been kind of a partier, but this was the first time I was drinking in order not to feel something. It had a dark purpose."

The actor eventually quit drinking for good and now Fox credits his wife of 23-years, Tracy Pollan, with helping him get sober.

He continues, "About a year after my diagnosis, I woke up one morning and saw (wife) Tracy's face...She said, 'Is this what you want?' Instantly I knew - no, this isn't what I want or who I am. So I quit drinking in '92.

"I recognised I had choices about drinking, and that made me realise I had choices about Parkinson's as well... Acceptance doesn't mean resignation; it means understanding that something is what it is and that there's got to be a way through it."

Fox has been a longtime Parkinson's disease advocate and in 2000 he founded The Michael J. Fox Foundation, which funds research programmes in the hopes of finding a cure.

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Fox turned to alcohol to cope with Parkinson's disease

Public release date: 20-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Layne Cameron layne.cameron@ur.msu.edu 517-353-8819 Michigan State University

EAST LANSING, Mich. Curcumin, a compound found in the spice turmeric, is proving effective at preventing clumping of a protein involved in Parkinson's disease, says a Michigan State University researcher.

A team of researchers led by Basir Ahmad, an MSU postdoctoral researcher, demonstrated earlier this year that slow-wriggling alpha-synuclein proteins are the cause of clumping, or aggregation, which is the first step of diseases such as Parkinson's. A new study led by Ahmad, which appears in the current issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry, shows that curcumin can help prevent clumping.

"Our research shows that curcumin can rescue proteins from aggregation, the first steps of many debilitating diseases," said Lisa Lapidus, MSU associate professor of physics and astronomy who co-authored the paper with Ahmad. "More specifically, curcumin binds strongly to alpha-synuclein and prevents aggregation at body temperatures."

Lapidus' lab uses lasers to study protein folding. Proteins are chains of amino acids that do most of the work in cells. Scientists understand protein structure, but they don't know how they are built a process known as folding. Lapidus' team is shedding light on the process by correlating the speed at which protein folds with its tendency to clump or bind with other proteins.

When curcumin attaches to alpha-synuclein it not only stops clumping, but it also raises the protein's folding or reconfiguration rate. By bumping up the speed, curcumin moves the protein out of a dangerous speed zone allowing it to avoid clumping with other proteins.

Finding a compound that can fix a protein when it first begins to misfold can lead scientists to identify drugs that can treat certain diseases. Doctors won't be prescribing curcumin pills any time soon, though, Lapidus said.

"Curcumin's usefulness as an actual drug may be pretty limited since it doesn't go into the brain easily where this misfolding is taking place," she said. "But this kind of study showcases the technique of measuring reconfiguration and opens the door for developing drug treatments."

###

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Curcumin shows promise in attacking Parkinson's disease

WAPELLO - Despite having Parkinson's disease, Wapello native Jeff Weikert plans to race a motorcycle this summer for the final time.

"It's kind of a drug, and you get addicted to it," Weikert said. "I've raced pretty much everything from cars to motorcycles pretty much my whole life."

On July 8, Weikert will get the chance to race a motorcycle in the 90th annual Pike's Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado Springs, Colo.

"I want to show people that someone with Parkinson's disease can still compete," Weikert said.

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The race is run on a 12.42-mile course with 156 turns that begins at 9,390 feet only to finish at the 14,110-foot summit of Pikes Peak.

Payne's Cycle Center out of Rock Island, Ill., has rebuilt the Honda 250cc Cheney-framed bike he will be riding.

This year, the race has 16 classes and features a variety of automotive, exhibition, open wheel, super stock car and motorcycle classes with a field approaching 200 competitors.

Weikert, 50, was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson's disease in March 2009.

According to the Mayo Clinic, Parkinson's disease is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects movement. It develops gradually, often starting with a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand.

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Area man with Parkinson's to race to the clouds

BERWYN, PA.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

QR Pharma, Inc. (QR) a clinical stage specialty pharmaceutical company committed to developing therapeutics with novel approaches for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease (PD) and other neurodegenerative disorders, announced today that The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF) awarded the company $468,000 to conduct research for the development of Posiphen to treat PD. QR will collaborate with Robert Nussbaum, MD, Professor, Department of Medicine and Chief, Division of Medical Genetics at the University of California, San Francisco and Jack T. Rogers, PhD, Associate Professor Psychiatry (Neuroscience) at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Genetics and Aging Research Unit.

Mutations and overexpression of alpha-synuclein (a-SYN) have been shown to cause familial PD while genetic association studies indicate a-SYN is a key risk factor in sporadic PD. Evidence suggests that therapies that can reduce a-SYN expression may block its pathogenic actions and therefore be useful in treating PD. In vitro studies conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital demonstrate that Posiphen lowers a-SYN levels by inhibiting a-SYN translation.

To establish efficacy in PD, Posiphen will be tested in transgenic mice engineered by Dr. Nussbaum's group at UCSF that express mutant human a-SYN. These mice exhibit early gastrointestinal dysfunction at three-months and motor abnormalities later in life, mimicking what is found in PD patients. Studies will be conducted to test, among other things, Posiphen's ability to reverse these abnormalities to establish pre-clinical efficacy as a basis for future testing in humans.

"Our animal model is based on the initial work we did 15 years ago identifying alpha-synuclein as the first human gene which, when mutated, causes Parkinson disease," said Dr. Robert Nussbaum. "Our model recapitulates the early signs of the disease and is well suited to test therapies directed toward regulating alpha-synuclein expression either on the gene or on the protein level."

"Alpha-synuclein is a high-priority target for our Foundation, as there is evidence that it plays an important role in both genetic and idiopathic cases of PD," said Kuldip Dave, PhD, associate director of research programs at MJFF. "QR Pharma's drug Posiphen has been shown to block the synthesis of alpha-synuclein. By decreasing alpha-synuclein levels in the brain, Posiphen could potentially be a novel treatment for PD."

"We are pleased that The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research sees the potential of Posiphen in the treatment of Parkinson's disease," said Maria Maccecchini, Chief Executive Officer of QR. "We look forward to working with the excellent research teams led by Dr. Nussbaum and Dr. Rogers."

About Posiphen . QR's lead Posiphen is a small orally active compound with high blood brain barrier permeability, which lowers levels of toxic protein aggregates. It targets the mRNA of a number of proteins that are overexpressed in several neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Down syndrome. It is in clinical development as an oral treatment for Alzheimer's disease. Posiphen reduces the rate of synthesis of amyloid precursor protein (APP) in cell cultures, normal, transgenic and trisomic mice as well as in humans. Posiphen also inhibits the synthesis of tau and alpha-synuclein in mice and humans. These neurotoxic aggregating proteins induce dysfunction, neuroinflammation and lead to cognitive impairment and neurodegeneration.

About QR Pharma, Inc. Headquartered in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, QR Pharma, Inc. is a clinical-stage specialty pharmaceutical company committed to developing therapeutics with novel approaches for the treatment of cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD) and Down syndrome (DS). QR currently has three product development programs - Posiphen for early stage AD and PD and BNC for advanced AD. For more information on QR Pharma, please visit the company's website, http://www.qrpharma.com.

About The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. As the world's largest private funder of Parkinson's research, The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to accelerating a cure for Parkinson's disease and improved therapies for those living with the condition today. The Foundation pursues its goals through an aggressively funded, highly targeted research program coupled with active global engagement of scientists, Parkinson's patients, business leaders, clinical trial participants, donors and volunteers. In addition to funding more than $285 million in research to date, the Foundation has fundamentally altered the trajectory of progress toward a cure. Operating at the hub of worldwide Parkinson's research, the Foundation forges groundbreaking collaborations with industry leaders, academic scientists and government research funders; increases the flow of participants into Parkinson's disease clinical trials with its online tool, Fox Trial Finder; promotes Parkinson's awareness through high-profile advocacy, events and outreach; and coordinates the grassroots involvement of thousands of Team Fox members around the world. Now through December 31, 2012, all new and increased giving to The Michael J. Fox Foundation, as well as gifts from donors who have not given since 2010 or earlier, will be matched on a dollar-for-dollar basis with the $50-million Brin Wojcicki Challenge, launched by Sergey Brin and Anne Wojcicki.

Link:
QR Pharma Awarded Funding By Michael J. Fox Foundation To Test Posiphen As A Treatment For Parkinson's Disease

Nearly one million people in the United States are living with Parkinson's Disease. Although there is no cure, there are medications and surgical options that can help manage symptoms optimally.

Winthrop-University Hospital's Perspectives in Health series will offer a free seminar for the public, "Discover New Treatments for Parkinson's Disease," on Tuesday,

March 20, at 7:00 PM. The program will be held at Winthrop's Community Outreach Center, located at 101 Mineola Boulevard at the corner of Second Street in Mineola. The speakers, who are two leading experts in the field of Parkinson's, will provide information about the most advanced treatment options and will explain the evaluation process for treating the disease.

Nora L. Chan, MD, Director of the Movement Disorders Program at Winthrop, will discuss how to optimize the medical management of the disease, and address the nonmovement related issues of Parkinson's, such as problems with cognition, depression, fatigue, and sleep.

Brian Synder, MD, will explain surgical techniques, including deep brain stimulation (DBS), an innovative, sophisticated technology that targets regions deep within the brain to control motor symptoms. A question and answer period will be included in the program.

Attendees are asked to arrive at 6:45 PM for registration. Parking and the entrance are available in the rear of the building. Seating is limited and pre-registration is required. To reserve a space, please call (516) 663-8300.

For information on other programs at the Hospital, please call 1-866-WINTHROP, or visit http://www.winthrop.org/communityprograms.

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Discover New Treatments For Parkinson's Disease

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire -03/21/12)- Attention: Health and Lifestyle Editors

People with Parkinson's disease have a new tool to help them identify the non-motor symptoms they are experiencing with their Parkinson's disease.

A Guide to the Non-Motor Symptoms of Parkinson's Disease, the first of its kind in Canada, is a user-friendly, educational booklet, designed to help people with Parkinson's recognize non-motor symptoms such as cognitive impairment, sleep problems and compulsive behaviours and learn about treatments and strategies to manage them.

The 50-page booklet, available in English and French, is the result of a partnership between Parkinson Society Canada and the CIHR Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction. The author, Dr. Ronald Postuma is a researcher in neurosciences at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) in Montreal.

Citing a typical example, Dr. Postuma says a man with Parkinson's may present with a urinary problem that is initially thought to be a prostate issue when, in fact, it may be related to Parkinson's. "Many patients do not realize that urinary problems, constipation, insomnia and other symptoms are linked to Parkinson's disease. As a result, they go untreated," says Postuma who is also a neurologist at the MUHC and an Associate Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery in the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University. "The booklet is a simple, pragmatic tool that I hope will improve patient care," he added.

Postuma says that the booklet is intended to help people with Parkinson's identify their non-motor symptoms, record what they are experiencing using the Non-Motor Symptoms Questionnaire at the back of the booklet, and discuss these symptoms with their doctor. He cautions it is not intended to replace the advice or instruction of a professional healthcare practitioner, or to substitute medical care.

"This is an excellent example of the practical application of evidenced-based research that benefits clinical care," says Joyce Gordon, President & CEO, Parkinson Society Canada.

A Guide to the Non-Motor Symptoms of Parkinson's Disease is available at http://www.parkinson.ca/NonMotorGuide.

Parkinson Society Canada's national research program is dedicated to improving the quality of life for Canadians living with Parkinson's. Its 10 regional partners and 240 chapters and support groups, have been providing education, support, and advocacy on behalf of over 100,000 Canadians living with Parkinson's since 1965. To learn more visit http://www.parkinson.ca.

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada's health research investment agency. CIHR's mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened Canadian health care system. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 14,100 health researchers and trainees across Canada. http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca.

Excerpt from:
Challenges With Movement Only Half the Story in Parkinson's

03-01-2012 22:13 http://www.NewHopeNow.Info

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Parkinson's Disease - New Hope from New Old Discovery! - Video

VALLEY VIEW, Ohio, March 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies announced today that they have received allowance of claims from the U.S. Patent Office for an application covering their Movement Disorder Monitoring System and Method for quantitative assessment of motor symptoms associated with movement disorders. The claims cover a system and method of wireless patient-worn motion sensors that assess tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity, and dyskinesias associated with diseases like Parkinson's and essential tremor. This innovative medical technology has applications for both in-clinic and home-based patient care, optimizing programming for deep brain stimulation, and providing quantitative endpoints to determine efficacy of clinical trials. When used in telemedicine applications, physicians utilize a web interface to track symptom responses and fluctuations.

To address the growing market need for standardized and ambulatory assessment of movement disorders, Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies has been committed to the commercialization of the Kinesia and Kinesia HomeView medical technology platforms since 2003. "The allowance of our patent claims continues a successful commercialization path for our Parkinson's assessment systems intended to help physicians maximize therapeutic benefits and ultimately improve patient quality of life," says Joseph P. Giuffrida, PhD, President. "Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies is uniquely positioned in the movement disorders market as a world leader in medical device development and manufacture of technologies to standardize, automate, and remotely capture patient assessments. This heightened intellectual property position builds on and protects our previous commercialization efforts and continued market growth." Dr. Giuffrida also thanked the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the National Institute on Aging for their continued support of these technologies.

The company is committed to building its intellectual property portfolio which will cover new applications arising from several on-going clinical studies. "We have a broad range of patent applications in the pipeline and expect this to be the first of many to cover our innovative product base of movement disorder technologies," says Brian Kolkowski, PhD, Executive Vice President and General Counsel. "In addition, this patent represents a first step as wecontinue with international filings to protect our technology portfolio to support our growth into international markets."

About Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies is committed to pioneering innovative biomedical technologies to serve research, education, and medical communities, improving access to medical technology for diverse populations and positively impacting quality of life for people worldwide.

Media Contact Amelia Earhart, Marketing Manager - 216-446-2413 - aaearhart@GLNeuroTech.com

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Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies Awarded Patent for Technology to Assess Parkinson's Disease

Swim coach Laurie Lawrence.

APN

OLYMPIC and world champion swim coach Laurie Lawrence will add his support to a call for the establishment of a national network of community-based nurses following the publishing of new research into Parkinson's disease.

The findings of the Australian-first Shoalhaven Project reveal the valuable role played by community-based nurses in supporting people living with this devastating, neurodegenerative disease.

This study reveals the crucial role nurses play in significantly improving the quality of life of more than 1-in-350 (64,000) Australians affected by this disease.

One of those 64,000 is Ian Findlay, the former Australian butterfly champion and life-long friend of Lawrence. Findlay was diagnosed with young onset Parkinson's at 40 years of age in 2004.

Lawrence is now urging the Government to fund more community-based Parkinson's nurses in support of Findlay and other sufferers.

"I coached Ian as a young athlete and I know of no one who trained harder than he did. Once he finished his competitive career, I asked Ian to become my assistant coach. We've been friends for 28 years.

"He is a true champion. Ian has tremendous courage and has overcome many obstacles - physical and mental - throughout his distinguished career. Since his diagnosis, he has changed from being an outgoing, bouncy fella to someone who is more introspective and cautious.

"He works incredibly hard to fight the symptoms of Parkinson's with assistance from his hospital-based nurse and his wife, Nicole, who has given up her career as a school teacher to care for him. Both are integral to his physical and mental wellbeing. Having access to a local, community-based nurse would further complement his support network," said Mr Lawrence.

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Lawrence dives in for Parkinson's

Australia's nursing homes will be swamped by a tidal wave of Parkinson's sufferers unless governments act now, an expert warns.

A Sydney-based Parkinson's disease expert says rates are expected to jump 80 per cent over the next 20 years because of Australia's aging population.

Currently 64,000 people have the progressive brain disease that causes uncontrollable tremors, loss of movement and bowel and bladder problems.

Associate Professor Simon Lewis from the University of Sydney is expected to present new research on the benefits of community-based Parkinson's nurses at a nursing conference on the Gold Coast on Friday.

Professor Lewis says Australia must adopt the UK approach of employing the specialist nurses or pay the price in nursing home care costs.

'You have to have a way of addressing this tidal wave of patients who are coming over the next 20 years,' he told AAP.

His research indicates that access to specialist nurses in the community can stave off the need for nursing home accommodation.

He compared the health of Parkinson's sufferers and their carers in Shoalhaven, NSW, before and six months after they were placed in the care of a specialist nurse.

'Very clearly what we saw is that during the time they had been seeing the nurse the patient's health had improved,' he said.

'More importantly, the carers themselves reported that their own health had improved.'

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Parkinson's patients to swamp homes