NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CurePSP, the leading nonprofit advocacy organization focused on prime of life neurodegenerative diseases, has formed the Patient Engagement Program (PEP) to help speed recruitment of eligible participants for industry-sponsored clinical trials, with the goal of finding treatments for degenerative brain diseases. Agreements have been reached with Bristol-Myers Squibb and AbbVie.
Prime of life neurodegenerative disorders are a spectrum of fatal frontotemporal brain diseases that typically affect people in their 50s and 60s – often during their most productive and rewarding years. There are currently no treatments or cures for these diseases, which affect thousands of people in the U.S. alone.
PEP will help connect clinical subjects with companies and research institutions leading trials, and will assist patients throughout the study. This end-to-end participation is critical to the success of clinical trials. In addition, PEP will provide education to neurologists and allied healthcare professionals to encourage them to direct their patients to clinical trials.
PEP’s initial focus will be on progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a deadly prime of life disorder that causes balance, mobility, vision, speech and behavior problems. PSP is the subject of intensive research, and several clinical trials related to the disease are in development. Because mechanisms in PSP are involved in multiple prime of life disorders – and in other common neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease – many researchers are hopeful that finding an effective treatment for PSP will open new pathways for treatment for other neurodegenerative disorders.
AbbVie recently initiated a Phase 1 clinical trial for PSP and trial enrollment is ongoing. AbbVie’s asset, C2N-8E12, received orphan drug designation for PSP by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Bristol-Myers Squibb recently initiated a Phase 1 clinical trial for PSP and trial enrollment is ongoing. Bristol-Myers Squibb’s asset, BMS-986168, received orphan drug designation for PSP from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Trish Caruana, President & Chief Executive Officer of PEP, said, “Clinical trials are an essential step in potentially bringing drug treatments to millions of sufferers of neurodegeneration. From day one we have been by the side of PSP patients and families, guiding them through their journeys. With PEP we are looking forward to working with them to take this monumental next step toward achieving our goal – safe and effective treatments – together.”
About CurePSP
CurePSP is the leading nonprofit advocacy organization focused on prime of life neurodegenerative diseases – a spectrum of fatal brain disorders that often strike during a person’s most productive and rewarding years. Currently there is no treatment or cure for these disorders, which affect more than 150,000 people in the U.S. alone. Since it was founded in 1990, CurePSP has funded more than 160 research studies primarily in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and the related disease corticobasal degeneration (CBD) and is the leading source of information and support for patients and their families, other caregivers, researchers, and doctors and allied healthcare professionals. CurePSP is based in Timonium, MD, with an office in New York City. Please visit http://www.psp.org/ for more information.
