HDSA Centers of Excellence program now accepting LOI’s for 2023 designation
HDSA’s Centers of Excellence (COE) Program is the cornerstone of HDSA’s commitment to care. HDSA Centers of Excellence provide comprehensive multidisciplinary clinical services to families affected by HD. Services are centered on regularly scheduled HD clinic days at which an individual’s HD care needs are defined, assessed and addressed. These services include, but are not limited to, neurology, psychology, genetic counseling/testing, social services, ancillary therapies (OT, PT, and Speech) and HD clinical trials. COEs are evaluated yearly not only on their ability to provide expert HD care, but also on their involvement in clinical research. HDSA is now accepting LOI’s for 2023 Center designations. To learn more about the program and how local HD clinics can apply before the September 16th deadline, click here
Vaccinex publishes findings from SIGNAL study
Last week, Vaccinex published its findings from SIGNAL, a Phase two study with 265 participants that tested the effects of pepinemab in people with HD. When key results of the study were announced in September of 2020, findings indicated the drug provided no significant improvement in cognitive function of participants in the trial. However, as researchers have analyzed the data since the conclusion of the study, they’ve found that pepinemab may have led to some positive “secondary” outcomes, which may support further development of the experimental drug. For example, brain images from the study showed that there may have been less damage in a part of the brain affected by HD, called the caudate nucleus. Vaccinex will keep working to determine whether pepinemab may be suitable for people with HD, and has begun enrolling participants for a Phase 1b/2a study of pepinemab in people with Alzheimer’s Disease. To read the full press release, click here. To read in-depth in lay language about the trial outcomes, check out this HDBuzz article from two years back.
King’s Crusade: Part 2 of HDSA’s feature film now available
Donald King was a tireless advocate for HD families and HDSA’s Chairman of the Board of Trustees from 1999 to 2003. After his sudden passing in 2004, HDSA launched the Donald A. King Summer Research Fellowship to facilitate meaningful research experiences and attract the next generation of bright scientists to HD. To share Don’s story and the King family’s commitment to the HD community, HDSA developed “King’s Crusade,” a two-part film chronicling the family’s legacy. In the final installment of the movie, Don’s daughter, Liz Decker, shares her family’s ongoing fight for HD and the impact of her father’s legacy. Click here to watch.
