How did we get here, and where do we go next?

Back in 2018, I figured out how to conquer Parkinson's. Wow. 2018. I even posted the story on line.

I've admitted previously that I was naïve in thinking I'd share this story, get funded, conduct a couple of clinical trials and prove that Parkinson's can be conquered by reducing dopamine levels inside the key brain cells (dopaminergic neurons) that enable us to move - or not.

For 7+ years, I've been calling people I know, getting introduced to others, chasing meetings... but none have resulted in our project being funded. Experienced entrepreneurs commonly emphasize the need to be flexible and learn from your experiences. And I heard a piece of advice from three people I respect, Seth Godin, Isabel Sackner-Bernstein and Todd Aydelotte - that I should make myself visible.

The value of visibility was clear to me and why I knew it was important to publish in the neurology journals, since I was "only" a cardiologist and considered an outsider. But they were talking more broadly about making myself visible and my ideas visible to those in need of hope that the disease could be conquered. That's how this newsletter came to be.

There is a benefit beyond providing hope to you that I did not anticipate. I get to hear from you. (As many of you know, I do not respond reliably to these messages, but I do read them, as I must keep my focus on moving the project forward.) Your messages are incredible motivation. They keep me focused. They drive me to make progress. And I appreciate them greatly.

For those interested in knowing how this path started, read the post from 2018 here.

For those of you looking for advice about how to manage your disease, the symptoms, the medicines etc., please accept my apologies that I cannot function as your doctor or guide.

For those of you interested in participating in the first trial, understand I cannot grant permission or deny it. First, the final criteria for what type of people can participate needs to be settled with the FDA as part of their review of the IND application (and that is likely to take longer these days than it would have just a couple of months ago). Then the actual decision of who can enroll will be made by the clinical investigators at the participating clinics. There will be only a handful and all will be in the USA.

And for those of you who want to understand the upcoming sequence of activities, it will look something like this.

1. IND application will be submitted to the FDA
2. FDA approval of the IND usually took 2-3 months; but it will take longer (this is the process that defines the clinical characteristics that will qualify or disqualify people for participation in the trial)
3. Sites select subjects to undergo testing to confirm they qualify to participate
4. Treatment starts, in a small number of people, and with some receiving placebo.

Stay tuned. All updates will be posted here.