USF joins Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative as study site
Note: For more information about enrolling in PPMI, please contact USF site coordinator Holly Delgado at hdelgado@health.usf.edu or (813) 844-4453.
The $40-million, five-year observational clinical study, sponsored by The Michael J. Fox Foundation, will seek biomarkers of Parkinson’s disease
Tampa, FL (Jan. 31, 2011) — The University of South Florida (USF) announced that it is one of 16 official U.S. study sites for the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI), a landmark observational clinical study sponsored by The Michael J. Fox Foundation, which will use a combination of advanced imaging, biologics sampling and behavioral assessments to identify biomarkers of Parkinson’s disease progression. Enrollment of 20 patients and 10 controls at USF has begun and will continue for approximately two years.
“PPMI holds potential not only to accelerate the development of breakthrough Parkinson’s treatments for the future, but also to improve diagnosis and treatment of today’s generation of PD patients,” said Robert Hauser, M.D, site investigator and director of the USF Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center. “USF has been at the forefront of Parkinson’s disease research for years in Tampa, FL. It is deeply meaningful to have been selected as a PPMI site and to have our commitment to speeding Parkinson’s solutions recognized.”
Said Michael J. Fox: “This is an ambitious undertaking, no doubt. But nothing worth having comes easily. Everything we’ve learned up to now, the partnerships we’ve worked to forge, the results of research we’ve funded — it’s all put us in position to launch this effort. We’re ready to roll up our sleeves and, hopefully, get this done.”
Biomarkers: Mission-critical for Parkinson’s Drug Development
A biomarker could be any objectively measurable physical characteristic associated with the presence of disease (diagnostic or risk marker) or any characteristic that changes over time in a way that can be tied to the progression of disease (progression marker).
“There is no doubt that finding a biomarker is critical to the development of next-generation therapies, and that the lack of this tool is among the most critical issues facing the PD research field,” said Katie Hood, CEO of The Michael J. Fox Foundation. “MJFF has funded biomarker discovery efforts for years. Now we are poised for a concerted, unified effort that will take these discoveries to the next level.”
Finding a PD biomarker would vastly improve PD diagnosis and treatment, as well as propel the development of improved therapies, particularly therapies to slow or stop the progression of PD, something no currently available treatment can do. Clinical trials of new, potentially disease-modifying Parkinson’s treatments would be far more likely to yield conclusive results, because a biomarker would allow researchers to measure the effects of those treatments objectively.
About The Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI)
The Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) is a landmark, five-year international clinical study that aims to find reliable and consistent biomarkers of Parkinson’s disease (PD) progression. The study is testing today’s most promising biomarker candidates through neuroimaging, the collection of blood, urine, and spinal fluid, and clinical and behavioral tests. Valid measures could allow scientists to predict, objectively diagnose and monitor diseases as well as definitively determine which medications work and which will not. PPMI is sponsored by The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and funded by a consortium of industry partners and individual donors. For information on enrolling in PPMI, please contact USF site coordinator Holly Delgado at (813) 844-4453.
About The Michael J. Fox Foundation
The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) is dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease through an aggressively funded research agenda and to ensuring the development of improved therapies for those living with Parkinson’s today. MJFF has funded about $225 million in research to date.
About USF Health
USF Health is dedicated to creating a model of health care based on understanding the full spectrum of health. It includes the University of South Florida’s colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Public Health and Pharmacy, the School of Biomedical Sciences and the School Physical of Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences; and the USF Physician’s Group. With more than $394.1 million in research grants and contracts in FY2009/2010, the University of South Florida is a high impact global research university.
About Robert Hauser, MD, Site Investigator, PPMI at USF
Dr. Hauser is the director of the Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center at the University of South Florida. He is professor of neurology, pharmacology and experimental therapeutics. His research focuses on the development of new treatments for Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders. Dr. Hauser is the lead investigator for several national and international clinical trials and serves on steering committees for several drug development programs. He is an active clinical investigator who has published more than 150 scientific articles and has lectured at scientific meetings around the world.
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