CNS has received permission to enroll familial ALS patients in a phase 1 trial to detrmine the pharmacokinetic properties and safety of a drug that could be the first to slow or arrest a heritable variant of amyotrophic lateral scleroisis. This is a milestone for CNS since CNS director Richard Smith conceived of the therapeutic approach which ultimately resulted in the drug that is now in clinical trials. The drug is produced by Isis pharmaceutical corporation and was developed in collaboration involving UCSD researchers Don Cleveland and Tim Miller.   

American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation publishes landmark paper demonstrating widespread involvement of the nervous system in patients with ALS. The abnormalities were detected using MEG, a form of recording that captures magnetic waves generated by brain activity. The paper was authored by Robert Boyajian and colleagues at Scripps Clinic in collaboration with CNS researcher Richard Smith. To see article click here

European patent office issues a patent for the treatment of neurological disorders to CNS director Richard Smith and colleagues at Avanir Pharmaceutical Corporation

Isis pharmaceutical corportation announced they have been awarded approximately 10 million dollars to develop a drug to treat Huntingtons disease based on research initiated at CNS and undertaken in collaboration with Isis and the Universtiy of California.

Targeting Neurological Disorders with Antisense Oligonucleotides, authored by Dr Smith  and Dr Tim Miller has been published in ANTISENSE DRUG TECHNOLOGY edited by Stanley L Crooke.

MS FOCUS MAGAZINE

A feature article entitled Pseudobulbar Affect: No Laughing Matter was published in MS Focus Magazine. The article, written by Allison Shadday, author of MS and Your Feelings: Handling the Ups and Downs of Multiple Sclerosis, included commentary by Dr Smith, and Wanda Spivey, an MS patient. Wanda was a patient in the nationwide trial of Zenvia, discovered at CNS by Dr Smith and now under development by Avanir Pharmaceutical corporation.  

GENE THERAPY TRIAL

Clinical Research Director, Jonathan Licht, is the principal investigator on a study to determine if a gene therapy utilizing a growth factor can slow or reverse nerve damage associated with diabetes. Nationwide a 102 patients will be studied. The study is sponsored by Sangamo BioSciences. For further information, contact Lucy or Jessica  at 858 455-5463.

SCRIPPS LECTURE

Dr Smith discussed his work at a seminar (July 30th) sponsored by Eric Topol, M.D., Chairman of the Dept of Genomic Medicine. The lecture reviewed Dr Smith's progress in developing a molecular therapy for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.  This work is being undertaken in collaboration with Donald Cleveland and Tim Miller at UCSD. 

Dr Smith recently spoke at the The Second International Conference on Frontotemporal Dementia(FTD) which was held in London, Ontario in mid-June. The meeting was organized by Dr Michael Strong, chairman of the Dept of Neurology at the London Health Sciences Centre. A variant of ALS is associated with FTD.  Dr Smith discussed past and current thinking about how the brain processes emotional experience and how drugs, such as dextromethorphan, palliates loss of emotional control in patients with neurologic disorders. 

On Jan 9, 2007 Jonathan Licht was interviewed on Fox morning news regarding advances in understanding and treating Alzheimers disease. Dr Licht is the prinicpal investigator for a clinical trial involving a novel medication that targets the cannabinoid receptor. The study is being conducted under the auspices of Coordinated Clinical Research. 

The Sandler ALS fund, set up to commenorate Murry Sandler, has recently donated nine thousand dollars to CNS to support our research and patient program. The funds were donated by Basil Witt on behalf of his friend who died several years ago of ALS.

Dr Kulreet Chaudary has established a monthly multiple sclerosis clinic which will be assisted by a physical therapist and a patient coordinator from the MS society. The clinic which is held the first thursday of each month, may be the first organized in a private practice setting. For information, phone (858) 646-0400.

Dextromethorphan/quinidine: a novel dextromethoprhan product for the treatment of emotional lability has been published in the Dec, 2006 issue of Expert Opinion in Pharmacotherapy. The article, authored by CNS director, Richard Smith, reviews the pharmacological and clinical properties of dextromethorphan and their relevance to the treatment of neurological disorders.

CNS is the recent recipient of a $100,000 bequest from the Willaim Stephan Trust.  Bill who suffered from ALS was a longtime member of the CNS patient community. His gift was an affirmation of his belief that CNS is a leader in the struggle to conquer ALS and kindred disorders.

This gift will support CNS's work to develop a therapy for ALS.  In Febuary, 2006 Dr Smith and his colleagues at UCSD and Isis pharmaceutical corporation met with FDA in Washington for a pre-IND meeting. Following this meeting the ALS association awarded a grant to initiate toxicology studies necessary to complete the pre-clinical studies. These studies are now underway in collaboration with Northern Biomedical, UCSD and Isis Pharmaceutical corportation. 

Donnelly ALS Fund passes $100,000. The Donnelly family has made a major contribution in support of CNS's research and patient efforts ...read more

Above is a  Donnelley family photo including charles prior to the onset of ALS and shortly after returning from a two year cruise on their sailboat to and from Australia.

CNS is pleased to announce the commencement of a phase 1 trial to test the safety of an antisense therapy that could be the first drug to slow or arrest the familial form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This exciting undertaking results from research conceived of by our Director and developed in collaboration with UCSD and Isis pharmaceutical corporation. In April the first patient was enrolled at Harvard University and as of June another 3 patients were studied. To be eligible for the study ALS patients must have tested positive for a mutation of a protein that is called superoxide dismutase.  The mutation was identified in 1993.   

Coordinated Clinical Research, an affiliate of CNS, is currently enrolling patients in treatment trials for Diabetic Neuropathy.

Contact  CNS or CCR at (858) 455-5463 and ask for Lucy or Nozomi.