Lundbeck to develop therapies to slow Huntington’s Disease
To collaborate with academic institutions and research companies with promising HD compounds
Lundbeck has launched a Huntington’s disease (HD) research initiative to identify and commercialise therapies that may slow or halt the progression of the disease. Collaborations with academic institutions and companies with promising compounds in development will lead the research.
‘The Huntington’s disease research community has made remarkable advances to enhance our understanding of this complex neurodegenerative disease during the past 20 years,’ said Stevin Zorn, executive vice president, Lundbeck Research USA. ‘We are tremendously energised at the opportunity to collaborate with an exceptional community of scientists, organisations and academic institutions devoted to finding a cure.’
Ira Shoulson, executive committee chairman of the Huntington’s Study Group (HSG), a non-profit group of clinical investigators experienced in the care of HD patients and families, added: ‘For this international pharmaceutical company now to engage in HD research is an extremely positive development for the entire community.’
In addition to its therapeutic focus, Lundbeck is actively engaged with the HD community through several initiatives, including:
• The Moving Together campaign through which the Lundbeck team aims to raise awareness and encourage dialogue about HD and its symptoms by participating in Huntington’s Disease Society of America (HDSA) community education and fundraising events nationwide.
• The Build Hope for HD donation campaign, held in May 2010 during HD Awareness Month, supported a medical clinic in Venezuela fully dedicated to caring for patients with HD in a community of the largest known family with the disease that was key to discovery of the HD gene. This campaign was conducted in partnership with the Hereditary Disease Foundation (HDF) and HSG.
• Lundbeck served as the leading sponsor for HDF’s clinical symposium in 2010 that brought together scientists from around the world to present and discuss the latest HD research.
Staffan Schüberg, president of Lundbeck, added: ‘We recognise that nothing is more important to the community than finding a cure and we are committed to doing our part to move the science forward.’