Neuralstem CEO Blog - Politics and poker…

Courage is grace under pressure

james@inktankusa.com (Administrator) — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 21:26:18 +0000

“Courage is grace under pressure”

- Ernest Hemingway

Posted: August 25th, 2014

The ALS “Ice Bucket Challenge” is a wonderful viral campaign, which has swept the country and now the world, to raise money and awareness for ALS research. Though there were versions of the challenge previously circulating, the idea for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is attributed largely to Pete Frates, a young ALS patient who I have the honor to have met. You can (and should) go to Pete’s site and learn more about his amazing journey. Like all ALS patients, Pete’s story is not likely one with a happy ending, and he knows that. The odds are very strongly stacked against him, but he continues to fight, he continues to inspire and he continues to lead. Pete’s life is truly the definition of grace under pressure, and we are all the beneficiaries of his love and his courage. As of Sunday August 24th, something close to $70 million has already been raised for ALS research as a result of this awareness campaign, and I have no doubt that the awareness raised will lead to a sustained increase in much needed funding from all sources.

I love it when a plan comes together

james@inktankusa.com (Administrator) — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 04:51:15 +0000

“I love it when a plan comes together.”

- Colonel John “Hannibal” Smith, The A Team

Posted: August 13th, 2014

There are times in life when everything seems to go wrong; then there are those (rare, for most of us) times, when things fall into place. There is no way to understand the “why” of these times, nor the when, but we can feel it when it happens.

There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.

james@inktankusa.com (Administrator) — Thu, 31 Jul 2014 05:45:26 +0000

“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”

- William Shakespeare, Hamlet

Posted: July 30th, 2014

Shakespeare may have been thinking more of the innate nature of things when he penned this particular sentiment; but in the world of clinical trials, “attitude,” or merely what a patients thinks about a treatment can have a serious impact on how that treatment works, or doesn’t.

…FDA has demonstrated its commitment to supporting access to experimental therapies for patients living with serious diseases

james@inktankusa.com (Administrator) — Sat, 07 Jun 2014 05:41:17 +0000

“…FDA has demonstrated its commitment to supporting access to experimental therapies for patients living with serious diseases. The agency is an important part of the process, helping to ensure that patients are protected from potentially harmful drugs or one that doesn't work. Allowing access to investigational therapies requires the cooperation of others, including drug companies and doctors, not just FDA. In cases where a company has initially denied access, FDA has stepped in to help. FDA is proud of its record facilitating access to safe, effective therapies for patients who need them as quickly as possible.”

- Margaret Hamburg: Commissioner, U.S. FDA

Posted: June 6th, 2014

This is from the first written comment that Dr. Hamburg has made with respect to the Right to Try (RTT) bill, recently signed into law in Colorado, now making its way across the country. To those of you who follow this area, it may surprise you to know that Neuralstem agrees with Commissioner Hamburg; the FDA is an indispensable party in this process. Indeed the RTT bill relies heavily on their expertise and diligence. That is why the bill only applies to fatal diseases, and only to drugs or therapies that have passed an FDA-approved safety trial, and are still actively being developed under the FDA umbrella in further trials. Any drug that dropped out of this legislative “inclusion” criteria would no longer be eligible for delivery under the legislation. At Neuralstem we are involved in developing our cell therapies all over the world, and I can attest to the fact that the FDA’s science and processes are considered the gold standard. Again, this is exactly why this important safeguard is incorporated into the RTT bill.

Most men would rather deny a hard truth than face it

james@inktankusa.com (Administrator) — Wed, 28 May 2014 05:30:58 +0000

"Most men would rather deny a hard truth than face it"

- George R.R. Martin, Game of Thrones

Posted: May 27th, 2014

Washington is roiling this week with calls for the resignation of General Shinseki, the Secretary of the Veterans Affairs, amid new allegations that VA facilities covered up long patient wait times for veterans. It will be a national disgrace if General Shinseki is forced to resign, and would only provide further proof that our society would rather deny hard truths than face them. In many ways the dispute over treatment options for veterans is too little too late. The search for scapegoats has, as it almost always does, led us away from looking at the real causes of year-long wait times for appointments and years-long appeals.

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

james@inktankusa.com (Administrator) — Wed, 16 Apr 2014 05:05:48 +0000

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

- Maya Angelou

Posted: April 15th, 2014

When Ted Harada started blogging about his experience in our Phase I ALS trial, his remarkable improvement lent early hope to an entire population of patients and caregivers. Several months ago, a patient in our Phase II trial named April started blogging about her experiences. Both of these patients started on their public journey well before their surgery, and before they had any idea of how they would do. Their sole concern was to share their experiences with their community. It takes an amazing amount of courage to share the terror and pain of a diagnosis like ALS, and as they began to understand that they were improving, to share their joy and even private feelings of guilt combined with their hopes and fears in even greater detail and depth. No one knows better than they, what hope can do for members of this community.

Every man gotta right to decide his own destiny

james@inktankusa.com (Administrator) — Sat, 01 Mar 2014 01:42:01 +0000

“Every man gotta right to decide his own destiny”

- Bob Marley

Posted: December 3rd, 2013

The “Right to Try” bill is making its way through the (now infamous) Arizona State Legislature. The basic premise of the Bill is that patients with fatal and incurable diseases should be able to choose for themselves whether or not to try an experimental drug. The Bill’s authors state that they should not be constrained by the FDA’s approval process.

My gift is my song and this one's for you

james@inktankusa.com (Administrator) — Tue, 03 Dec 2013 22:34:20 +0000

“My gift is my song and this one's for you”

- Elton John

Posted: December 3rd, 2013

Over the past few months, one of the patients in our Phase II trial to treat ALS has been posting blogs and pictures as she goes through the process of enrollment, surgery and recovery. Her most recent blog can be found here.

“Both a little scared, Neither one prepared, Beauty and the Beast”

james@inktankusa.com (Administrator) — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 03:52:44 +0000

“Both a little scared, Neither one prepared, Beauty and the Beast”

- Lyrics from “Beauty and the Beast”
Writers: Tim Rice, Bruce Healey, Howard Elliott Ashman, Alan Menken

Posted: October 30th, 2013

There is a rather surprising but equally clear movement in the life sciences world these days towards the development of therapies for rare diseases. In the (not too distant) past, development of potential therapies to treat orphan indications, rare diseases and ultra rare diseases was the province of small University labs in conjunction with patient advocacy groups and a few small biotech companies here and there. But things are changing rapidly.

Nootropics

james@inktankusa.com (Richard Garr) — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Nootropics

Posted: October 25th, 2013

(/noʊ.əˈtrɒpɨks/ noh-ə-trop-iks), also referred to as smart drugs, memory enhancers, neuro enhancers, cognitive enhancers, and intelligence enhancers, are drugs, supplements, nutraceuticals, and functional foods that purportedly improve mental functions such as cognition, memory, intelligence, motivation, attention, and concentration.