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Thank you, Greg - but would you also consider answering the question as it was asked, as if you could only allocate your money toward these two research areas: non-motor symptoms (including dementia, which i forgot to specifically mention the first time around) and dyskinesias. and thank you for the Avigen information - very exciting! mackenzie --- Greg Wasson <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > (I tried to post this a couple of days ago, but I > think I sent it into the ether - but if its a dupe, > forgive me.) > > mackenzie, > > I would put my $10 million into research on the work > being done by Avigen. They are using a gene therapy > viral vector delivery system to repopulate the brain > with the enzymes that convert levodopa to dopamine. > These enzymes are lost along with the natural > dopamine produced in our brains as the dopamine > neurons die off. One of the problems with using > Sinemet as a long-term medication is the onset of on > -- off fluctuations and the appearance of dyskinesia > after a few years of using this medication. The > theory of the scientists at Avigen is that > repopulation of the brain with the conversion > enzymes will allow the brain to convert levodopa > into dopamine as effectively as it did when a > patient first started taking the drug. In other > words, the loss of these enzymes causes the > fluctuations and dyskinesia because conversion > becomes haphazard as these enzymes continue to die > off. In an extraordinary animal study using 35 > primates, an unusually large number, the > effectiveness of this! > therapy > was remarkable, with all of the primates showing a > substantial increase in their ability to convert > levodopa to dopamine smoothly and without > fluctuations or dyskinesia. According to the Avigen > researcher in charge of this project, Dr. Alvin Luk, > they believe that the enzymes will continue to > successfully convert levodopa into dopamine for as > long as 15 years. > > In other words, middle and late stage Parkinson's > patients would be able to use this therapy to extend > the effective life of their Sinemet for a decade or > more, and the Sinemet would respond as effectively > as it did when the patient first began carbidopa > levodopa therapy. This would be a godsend to mid-and > late stage patients and enable them to hold out for > another decade or more with something approaching > the quality of life they experienced when they first > began carbidopa levodopa therapy. It would allow > people who would otherwise be lost to this disease > to hang on until a real therapy, one which > effectively regresses the disease rather than simply > masking and symptoms, can be found and reach the > marketplace. > > Avigen has recently reported success with the first > phase 1 human clinical trial being conducted using > this therapy. > > So that's what I would do with my 10 million. It's a > little selfish, because I've had PD for 10 years, > but I think you could save a couple of generations > of Parkinson's patients until the cavalry comes. > > Best, > > Greg Wasson > > > > > > mackenzie <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Thanks so much to everyone who has answered so far, > and anyone else who has an opinion on the subject, > please do send it on. > > > > "Willy Loman never made a lot of money. His name was > never in the paper. He's not the finest character > that ever lived. But he's a human being, and a > terrible thing is happening to him. So attention > must be paid...Attention, attention must finally be > paid to such a person." - Arthur Miller - Death of a > Salesman > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn