July 17, 2006
Biomarkers Study Seeks ALS Patients and Other Volunteers
Scientists funded by The ALS Association are seeking biomarkers that will provide earlier diagnosis of ALS and will help in designing decisive clinical trials of new drugs. Volunteers to donate samples of blood and spinal fluid are now sought to contribute to a better understanding of the signals in the body that could say a person is developing ALS and that changes in those signals might be used to follow the condition for more accurate clinical trials of promising treatments.
Biomarkers are those molecules or structures in the body that can define a particular condition. Biomarkers that are present only in the disease state, or that change appreciably with the disease, would be a chemical signature that clinicians could read in a sample of blood or other easily obtained body fluid, such as that which bathes the spinal cord and brain, called the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). A consortium effort, enlisting leading researchers and biotech companies, is engaged in the search for reliable biomarkers of ALS.
As part of this effort, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and the University of Pittsburgh are currently seeking individuals with sporadic ALS, familial ALS, upper motor neuron disease, lower motor neuron disease, peripheral neuropathy, and healthy individuals for participation in a specimen collection study, conducted by Merit E. Cudkowicz, M.D. and Robert Bowser, Ph.D.
The purpose of the research study is to compare biological markers in the blood and spinal fluid of subjects with and without Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The investigators are looking for differences between the specimens of subjects with ALS, as compared to specimens from people with other neurological disorders including pure upper motor neuron disease, pure lower motor neuron disease and peripheral neuropathy. They will also compare such patient samples to those from healthy controls.
Participants must be at least 20 years of age and will be asked brief questions about their past and present medical history, family history and current medications. Participants must be able to travel to either Massachusetts General Hospital or the University of Pittsburgh for the research study. Researchers will arrange appointments at the convenience of the study participant.
Although there are no direct benefits for study participants, researchers hope that this study will produce information and data that ultimately could offer benefit to patients with ALS. All participants will be reimbursed $100.00 for their participation.
If interested, please contact one of the following individuals:
Andrew Caraganis
Clinical Research Coordinator
Neurology Clinical Trials Unit
Massachussets General Hospital-East
CNY 149, 13th Street, Room 2274
Charlestown, MA 02129
Phone: (617) 726-5059
E-mail: acaraganis@partners.org
Danielle Rowlands, RN, BSN
Clinical Research Coordinator
Department of Neurology
University of Pittsburgh
BST-Room S514
203 Lothrop Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Phone: 412-648-9053
E-mail: doerflerd@upmc.edu
For further information about possible biomarkers in ALS click here.
