When you name your company after the highest mountain in North America, you know you have great expectations. A new company, Denali Therapeutics, has taken on the challenge of finding a cure for neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s. Their task is formidable, and that is the reason they chose Denali for their name.
The former Genetech researchers
began their venture with an astounding $217 million. Denali’s chairman of the
board, Dr. Marc Tessier-Lavigne, believes that the time is right for
breakthrough treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.
This group of scientists plan to
break away from the study of drugs to block beta-amyloid. Their focus will be
on genetics, which has led to effective drugs for cancer. Scientists have
discovered new genes linked to brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s,
ALS, and Parkinson’s. They believe these “degenogenes” will lead to a better
outcome than previous drug studies.
Hallelujah! How often have you heard that if you keep trying the same thing you’ll have the same outcome? Alzheimer’s research is at an impasse. No one has found the illusive cure, or even a good treatment for the disease. It is time to try a complete new approach and these seem like just the guys to do it.
Hallelujah! How often have you heard that if you keep trying the same thing you’ll have the same outcome? Alzheimer’s research is at an impasse. No one has found the illusive cure, or even a good treatment for the disease. It is time to try a complete new approach and these seem like just the guys to do it.
The company is looking at brain inflammation
and the substances that develop between brain cells. They are concentrating on
the factors that cause brain cells to die when a person develops a brain
disease. They are already looking at twelve drug targets!
The brightest brains in the world
have banded together to tackle the most baffling disease left to conquer. Now,
they hope to engage the Food and Drug Administration in fast tracking brain
drugs for Alzheimer’s as they did for HIV and other diseases.
Today I’m wearing a tee-shirt that
says, “Your brain contains about 100 billion nerve cells. Each One is Worth
Keeping Around.” I want to keep as many of those precious cells as I can. Don’t
you?
Copyright © May 2015 by L.S. Fisher
http://earlyonset.blogspot.com
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