Announce Fall Grant Application Cycle is Now Open WASHINGTON, June 21, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Epilepsy Therapy Project (ETP) and the Epilepsy Foundation (EF) today announced the latest grant recipients of their New Therapy Grants Program, a unique joint venture of the two non-profit epilepsy organizations to advance clinical development and commercialization of promising epilepsy therapies.The grant awards will support the development of four important new technologies: "We are continuing to support new technologies to detect, monitor and treat epilepsy through the New Therapy Grants award program," said Warren Lammert, Chairman of the Epilepsy Therapy Project. "In this grant cycle, we have selected four projects that may prove critical to managing and treating epilepsy and to accelerating the development of future new therapies. With these grants and the support and guidance our organizations can offer, we are advancing important new products to market and so to people with epilepsy." For a comprehensive list of all epilepsy therapies in development including past projects supported by the New Therapy Grants program, please visit http://www.epilepsy.com/etp/pipeline_new_therapies.The epilepsy pipeline identifies the most promising products from early-stage development to commercial-stage, and whether a product is currently available in the US or internationally. "The mission of this … Continue reading →

Newswise UCLA researchers have combined two tools gene expression and the use of peripheral blood -- to expand scientists arsenal of methods for pinpointing genes that play a role in autism. Published in the June 21 online edition of the American Journal of Human Genetics, the findings could help scientists zero in on genes that offer future therapeutic targets for the disorder. Technological advances now allow us to rapidly sequence the genome and uncover dozens of rare mutations, explained principal investigator Dr. Daniel Geschwind, the Gordon and Virginia MacDonald Distinguished Professor of Human Genetics and a professor of neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. But just because a particular genetic mutation is rare doesnt mean its actually causing disease. We used a new approach to tease out potential precursors of autism from the occasional genetic glitch. Geschwind and his colleagues studied DNA contained in blood samples from 244 families with one healthy child and one child on the autism spectrum. The team used a hybrid method that blended tests that read the order of DNA bases with those that analyze gene expression, the process by which genes make cellular proteins. Monitoring gene expression provides us with … Continue reading →

Public release date: 21-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Jane E. Rubinstein jrubinstein@rubenstein.com 212-843-8287 Autism Speaks New York, N.Y. (June 21, 2012) Autism Speaks, the world's leading autism science and advocacy organization, today announced the award of new research grants totaling nearly $2.9 million in funding to support autism research. "Suzanne and I are extraordinarily proud of Autism Speaks, not only for funding research projects which have tremendous potential to open new avenues to understanding autism," said Autism Speaks Co-founder Bob Wright, "but in supporting predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows who are the next generation of leaders in autism research." The projects approved include a Suzanne and Bob Wright Trailblazer Award, ten Weatherstone Predoctoral Fellowships and nine Postdoctoral Fellowships in Translational Research. In addition, five targeted research studies which support research across a range of high-priority areas were funded. These include environmental risk factors, understanding the impact of DSM-5 on autism diagnosis, the development of medicines, new behavioral treatments across the lifespan, improved access to early intervention in minority communities and a deeper understanding of autism biology. "We are extremely gratified by the high quality of these research projects. These projects focus on issues that directly affect the lives … Continue reading →

Public release date: 21-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Jane E. Rubinstein jrubinstein@rubenstein.com 212-843-8287 Autism Speaks NEW YORK, N.Y. (June 21, 2012) Autism Speaks, the world's leading autism science and advocacy organization, today released An Introduction to Behavioral Health Treatments, Applied Behavior Analysis and Toilet Training parent's guides. These latest tool kits, all developed as part of the work of the Autism Treatment Network through its participation as the HRSA-funded Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P), are available for free download on Autism Speaks Tool Kits webpage. Behavioral challenges are a common problem for children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Many children with ASD have challenges managing certain behaviors such as aggression or not following directions in addition to experiencing limitations in communication or social skills. The experts of the Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network (ATN) and the AIR-P have addressed how parents and families can help improve their child's behavior with The Introduction to Behavioral Health Treatment which provides an overview of in-home strategies as well as tips to teach and increase desirable behaviors and decrease behavior problems. This tool kit also provides an overview of professional behavioral treatments families can seek out from … Continue reading →

Eyewitness News NEW YORK (WABC) -- You probably know someone who's taking a statin drug to lower their cholesterol, to try and prevent a stroke or heart attack. But now, the statins are part of treatment, not just prevention. Statins and another drug, progesterone, have been reported in several recent studies to make survival from strokes and other brain damage events more likely. But the statins have moved into current treatment fastest. Now, if patients are not already taking a statin, one will likely be started if doctors suspect a stroke. Fifty-three year old Joe Lipton noticed some disturbing symptoms earlier this year while raking his yard. Joe was having a T-I-A, the warning sign of a stroke. Tests at the hospital showed damage to the brain's blood supply. He had an emergency procedure to prevent a stroke. Immediately, doctors gave him a statin drug. "Within twenty-four hours, I was on Lipitor," Lipton said. Lipitor and other statins given during the hospital stay for a stroke can improve survival and recovery. Stroke patients already on these drugs had better survivals than if statins were stopped after hospitalization. All this from pills meant to prevent strokes and heart attacks. The idea … Continue reading →