Sharonne N. Hayes, MD, from the Mayo Clinic, recently authored a blog, “The potential of patient initiated research in studying rare diseases,” where she described her experience with the rare disease SCAD–spontaneous coronary artery dissection. Katherine Leon had connected with other SCAD patients via the WomenHeart Inspire online community and over the years had collected information on 70 people. At a conference, she approached Dr. Hayes about how she could help spur more research into SCAD, and a partnership was born. At the conference Katherine also met SCAD patient Laura Haywood-Cory who helped recruit patients online and keep momentum going.
“Our research team’s success in conceiving, piloting, refining, obtaining funding and recruiting for SCAD research, including the development of a DNA biobank for future genetic investigations at Mayo Clinic,” wrote Dr. Hayes, “could not and would not have transpired without the active and ongoing participation and support of ‘SCAD ladies.’” Mayo has followed-up with another trial with 200 SCAD patients and an equal number of their close relatives.
“The people most highly motivated to support or to even initiate investigations of a rare condition are those personally affected and their close relatives,” noted Dr. Hayes. This is something we have seen many times at Siren through our 12 years working with rare disease patients. The SCAD research is just one highly visible case. Other rare disease patients and caregivers are not only recruiting for research but funding it themselves.
Running a virtual biotech from the kitchen table
Another amazing example of patient-initiated research is Lori and Matt Sames of Hannah’s Hope Fund. When their youngest daughter was diagnosed with giant axonal neuropathy (GAN) in 2008, they were told that it is a terminal disease and soon realized there was no ongoing research, no foundation, no fundraising. So they got to work. Using social media, they raised money and awareness. The Sames had a successful pre-IND meeting with the FDA and at the end of the year are scheduled to initiate clinical trials with 11 children with GAN at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. They need an additional $500,000 to pay for the cost of the trial.
Buying and developing a drug
After an Israeli biotech company stopped investigating a promising medication, the Seckler and Wicka families bought the therapy and decided to develop it themselves as a possible treatment for their children’s Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The company, Halo Therapeutics, has been granted orphan drug status for the therapy by the FDA.
The most famous example of patient-initiated research is John Crowley, who had a movie based on his efforts to find a treatment for his children with Pompe disease. As we move forward with increased collaboration within the scientific community, the proliferation of the use of social media and inspiring stories like the ones above, I think this trend of patient-initiated research will continue to grow. What do you think?
By Eileen O’Brien, Director of Search & Innovation at Siren Interactive
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