South Florida couple take part in clinical trial

18 Sep South Florida couple take part in clinical trial

ATLANTIS, Fla. — Researchers in South Florida are working on the next treatment breakthrough for patients who have mild to moderate-stage Alzheimer’s, and a 74-year-old retired licensed practical nurse in Palm Beach County wants to be involved.

John and Cheryl Miller have been married for 53 years. They moved from New Jersey to South Florida 11 years ago.

Their lives changed when Cheryl was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

“My family will not let me drive, which I understand and that’s a hard thing to swallow because you depend on somebody to always take you where you need to go,” Cheryl Miller said.”

John Miller said his wife is doing very well.

“This is two years now since she’d been diagnosed, it was a shock as it is to anybody right,” John Miller said. “We were already in one local trial and looking forward to the next.”

The Millers took part in a different clinical trial at JEM Research Institute in Atlantis. The experimental treatment is expected to be Food and Drug Administration-approved in a few months. They are looking forward to participating in the latest study and they hope others will do the same.

“That’s our hope and our prayers,” John Miller said.

Officials at JEM Research Medical Center are looking for Alzheimer’s volunteers to participate in a new clinical study called “Lift AD,” that aims to regenerate the brain and improve cognitive function.

Clinical neurologist Dr. Mark Goldstein said it’s for mild-to-moderate cases of Alzheimer’s disease and is different from the treatments that were FDA-approved for early-stage cases.

“This medication in this drug targets neurodegeneration and, in some cases, regeneration and also improves inflammation in the brain,” Goldstein said. “So, it’s a novel approach to treating people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.”

He said what’s unique is that the medication is administered as a once-a-day injection.

The drug company that’s sponsoring the trial is Athira Pharma, the study expects to enroll approximately 150 patients and the study is currently enrolling patients nationwide, including the city of Atlantis in Palm Beach County.

“The most important thing is to get people to agree to participate in clinical trials because that’s the only way progress is going to be made,” Goldstein said.