Research
“The Most
Ambitious
Initiative So Far
to Find a Cure for
Parkinson’s”
by MAGGIE McGUIRE KUHL
Eight years ago, The Michael J. Fox Foundation » UNITING GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY
launched the first large-scale Parkinson’s study
PPMI researchers are using cutting-edge
of its kind. Today, with 21 industry funding
technologies to dive deep into the cell
partners and 33 global clinical sites, the
to look for differences in Parkinson’s —
Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI)
discoveries that could help measure
has built the most robust database and library
and treat PD. MJFF is partnering with
of biological samples in Parkinson’s research
the Foundation for National Institutes
history from more than 1,500 participants. The
of Health (fNIH) and five companies on
scientific community has downloaded PPMI data
the Accelerating Medicines Partnership
more than 1.5 million times.
Parkinson’s disease (AMP PD) program to
expand this investigation in more samples
That data and its value will continue to
from PPMI and other studies. In March,
expand. Originally following participants for
prestigious scientific journal The Lancet
five years, PPMI is now collecting information
Neurology lauded this program as “the most
for up to 13 years through the clinic and
ambitious initiative so far to find a cure for
potentially longer with new technologies.
Parkinson’s disease.”
Helping lead the study is its new co-principal
» COLLECTING DATA IN NEW WAYS
investigator; Andrew Siderowf, MD, from
PPMI will soon start collecting data through a
the University of Pen nsylvania has joined
wrist-worn device, capturing information on
PPMI founding leader Ken Marek, MD, of the
day-to-day life with disease. Online surveys
Institute for Neurodegenerative Disorders.
are allowing participants to contribute more
Together, they oversee the continued
information, as well. And PPMI has started an
growth of PPMI toward deeper disease
after-death brain tissue donation program,
understanding, better assessment tools for
which can help scientists understand what
researchers and more effective treatments for
happens in the brain in Parkinson’s and how
people with Parkinson’s.
it relates to other measures of disease.
PPMI is fundamentally changing our
» INFLUENCING CLINICAL TRIALS
understanding of Parkinson’s disease, how we
More drugs with potential to slow or stop
measure and predict disease progression, and
Parkinson’s are moving through clinical
testing of new treatments — advances that can
testing. PPMI’s strategies to recruit and retain
accelerate drug development and improve
volunteers, criteria to enroll participants, and
care. New partnerships and projects are
methods for collecting and storing samples
growing its influence.
have become a model for drug companies
starting their own large-scale studies.
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Spring/Summer 2018