Neuralstem CEO Blog
- “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
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.
- “An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Posted: September 16th, 2013
Last week, we transplanted the first patient in our Phase II trial for ALS. I have written before about the Phase I trial. The Phase II trial is in many ways even more groundbreaking than the first (and that is saying a great deal).
- “….Meetest for death, the weakest kind of fruit / Drops earliest to the ground, and so let me…”
- William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice
Posted: August 30th, 2013
Twenty-two year old Derek Sheely of Germantown, Maryland died in August 2011. He was a Frostburg State University football player. He died after suffering a second concussion in practice, returning to the field despite bleeding from his forehead during four consecutive practice sessions according to the Washington Post. In a wrongful death lawsuit, it is contended that he was never checked for a concussion, nor even to see if his helmet was fitted properly. His teammates have publicly described the drills and practices leading up to the injury as “completely out of control” and “gladiatorial” high speed hitting drills where players were urged to hit each other head-on at full speed. The lawsuit further alleges that the coaches treated all injuries the same, whether brain or ankle, you were simply expected to play through the pain.
- “How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world.”
- William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice
Posted: August 7th, 2013
I had a visit recently from a remarkable young science teacher at West Shore Junior/Senior High School in Melbourne, Florida whose name is Amy McCormick. Ms. McCormick’s science project/class had presented information about an experiment that they created that is actually going up to the International Space Station (how cool is that?) to be run. The study is entitled “A study of how microgravity affects the enzymes in ALS.” The project was picked over 1,000 other applications and schools, many larger and/or better funded than this small public school.
