1974 - 1st international meeting
1983 - Gene localized to chromosome 4 (1st proof that new DNA markers could map genes)
1993 - Gene identified – US & Venezuela – collaborative research project
1996 - Gene cloned; allowing creation of a “mouse model”
1997 - UBC - Discovery of protein aggregates (major help to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS)
1999 - UBC – first ‘full version’ lab model created
2000 - 1st massive drug screen completed (689 compounds; 78 at low concentrations)
03/00 - Columbia - “reversible” mouse
06/00 - Cornell - Creatine as delay in lab ** now awaiting clinical trial**
07/00 - Boston - Minocycline as delay in lab ** now awaiting clinical trial**
03/01 - John Hopkins - protein “kidnapping”
06/01 - UBC - BDNF boosting as inhibitor ** now awaiting clinical trial**
10/01 - U.C. Irvine -- histone deacetylase inhibitors ** now awaiting clinical trial**
11/01 - US/UK -- cysteamine has major impact ** now awaiting clinical trial**
02/02 - Stanford -- boosting protective responses
04/02 - USA – COQ10 delays in labs **now awaiting clinical trial**
06/02 - Can/UK -- IGF-1 blocks Akt pathway
06/02 - USA – protease calpain delays in labs **now awaiting clinical trial**
07/02 - U of Minnesota -- bile acid stops apoptosis **now awaiting clinical trial**
08/02 - Emory/UBC -- mutant protein mitoC blocks
09/02 - Can/US/UK -- 2 new ‘cocktails’ slow progression in mice **now awaiting clinical trial**
01/03 - Amarin PLC UK-LAX 101 delays symptoms-preliminary trial **awaiting Phase III trial**
04/03 - Can -- lead compounds starting trials in mice
If finding a treatment took an hour, the 5 steps would look something like:
This ultimate step is where Huntington’s research is right now. There are potential treatments lined up like taxis in the airport holding area, just waiting for the funding to get to clinical trials.
The creation of Laura’s Hope is expediting those trials.
