GAM team moves to gain patent for AA combination therapy
RECOVERED ALOPECIA UNIVERSALIS SUFFERER AND BIOLOGY COLLEAGUE INITIATE PATENT PROCESS FOR COMBINATION THERAPY TO REVERSE ALOPECIA AREATA
Alopecia Universalis Reversal Opens Door of Hope to Sufferers and Highlights Need for Expanded Research Focus; Team Vows to Keep pushing.
CHICAGO, Ill. – Alopecia Areata (AA) is a frequently occurring, chronic, inflammatory disease which is expressed as varying degrees of unpredictable, non-scarring hair loss. There are over 4 million people affected by AA in the United States alone and tens of millions worldwide. Although the root cause of AA is not understood, the presence of inflammatory pathology, strongly suggests an autoimmune origin to the disease. Currently there is no effective treatment or cure for Alopecia Areata…or so the standard line goes.
But according to Robert Swierski, founder and executive director of Global Alopecia Mission (GAM), a US-based AA research nonprofit, “that’s only true because many avenues of research are being completely ignored due to the low profile and lack of funding directed at Alopecia Areata research…”
GAM has spearheaded a global campaign to change that and promote full scale research efforts to make an effective treatment and cure a reality for those with AA. And if there is anyone who knows about the reality of an effective treatment, Swierski does.
Swierski, who suffered with Alopecia Universalis for almost 20 years, became an outspoken and tireless advocate of AA research reform after recovering from the disease in a mere 43 days with no medical intervention using a novel combination therapy, including a specially formulated diet and self-developed dietary supplement. Together with biology researcher Lana Becker (whose son suffers from AA), the pair founded GAM little more than one year ago. Becker’s passionate commitment and microbiology experience created the perfect working combination to advance the GAM vision and Swierski’s therapy.
Both Swierski and Becker insist that major progress toward other treatments and a cure can be achieved quickly if GAM has its way of expanding research to include a full range of scientific specialties following a well-defined and sequential roadmap, with microbiology AND nutrition playing very high profile roles.
“There are too many serious possibilities being neglected in the current narrowly-focused environment,’ says Becker. “We are certain that potential treatment strategies exist right now.”
The filing of a USPTO provisional patent application titled, Method to Reverse Disease Progression and Symptoms, including Hair Loss, in Patients with Alopecia Areata and other Disease(s) through Combination Therapy, on July 21, 2012, suggest Swierski and Becker are very serious. A patent-sharing agreement executed by the two, assigns profit rights to Global Alopecia Mission for any profits that may result from the work.
“This work has incredibly important implications in the disease process and offers amazing possibilities right now…like it did in my case. To ignore this would be foolish,” Swierski says.
According to Swierski, it’s nearly impossible to advance and fund research that does not have a potential drug development benefit to pharmaceutical companies. “So protecting and preserving the process (including formulas) allows us to discuss it more openly, use creative strategies, and go directly to the AA community itself for financial support”; all essential and necessary steps if the research is to move ahead.
‘We can accelerate this research to light speed with the right funding commitments,” Becker is quick to point out. “Robert and I agree that if our current therapy has widespread value that can be channeled back into more and better AA research, then that’s its highest use.”