Family Life

06.11.10 |

Pharmaceutical companies are joining forces with the public sector to speed up the development of new drugs to treat Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. A new database being unveiled today will let researchers from the industry and academia share their findings on the neurodegenerative diseases. The hope is that a global free exchange of information on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's will give scientists a better understanding of both brain disorders and fuel research into new treatments. It is also expected to help pharmaceutical companies set up more effective clinical trials. The database is being coordinated by the nonprofit Coalition Against Major Diseases, which is made up of patient groups and 13 major drugmakers, including Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, and Johnson & Johnson. They will be advised by officials from the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health and the European Medicines Agency.