March 11, 2014
Today's Top Alzheimer's News
The economic ripple of Alzheimer's, Sandy Halperin raising Alzheimer's awareness in Florida and beyond, and a new partnership between Alector and J&J to develop Alzheimer's therapies (read more).
Must reads
- A March 10, 2014 Forbes article reported on the economic ripple effect of Alzheimer's. According to the article, "With more than 35 million global victims and millions of caregivers, Alzheimer’s is estimated to be putting a 1 percent drag on global economic growth, said Vradenburg.Yet research to find cures is drastically underfunded, added Vradenburg. That’s why he convened the first Global CEO Initiative on Alzheimer’s disease (CEOi), which hosted a summit in November 2013 to find innovative ways to fund research. Alzheimer’s and dementia was also the focus of a recent G8 summit in London. “Now’s the time to think about establishing a global fund for Alzheimer’s and dementia,” said Vradenburg."
- The April edition of Tallahassee Magazine (FL) included a profile of Alzheimer's patient advocate Sandy Halperin and his efforts to raise awareness of Alzheimer's while struggling with the disease. According to the article, "No matter whether he’s connecting with local Tallahasseeans, members of Congress or people worldwide via LinkedIn, Halperin’s focus is always the same: increase awareness, eliminate stigma, increase funding for curative research and help those who are dealing with the disease either as patients or caregivers.“I’m glad you’re doing a story about me,” he said with that twinkle in his eyes, “because it brings awareness not just to those who have the disease but to our lawmakers who have the power to act. I’m tired of meetings about the subject. We know what we need to do. It’s cliché, but it’s time for action.”"
- A March 10, 2014 San Francisco Gate article reported that "Janssen Pharmaceuticals said Monday it will fund San Francisco biotech startup Alector's efforts to develop new therapies for Alzheimer's disease." According to the article, "Johnson & Johnson has been seeking a leading treatment for Alzheimer's, which is the most common form of dementia and affects more than 5 million people in the United States alone…The company is now turning to Alector, which has been trying to develop antibody therapies to combat the condition."