ALSMatters.org

Wednesday, 19 November 2008 00:07
Brightly dodging around the melody of “Jelly Roll," the M.A.P. Trio abandons the original harmony of the first few lines, instead stating the melody in unison. And so goes the challenge of performing Charles Mingus' music with a trio: sacrifices of the original composition must be made, but the ways that those sacrifices are made give the group its identity. Drummer Brian Jones, tenor saxophonist J.C. Kuhl, and bassist Cameron Ralston maintain the soul of Mingus' music alive while modifying it and keeping the excitement in tact. A product of the Mingus Awareness Project, created in Chicago in 2007 to benefit research for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (which Mingus died of) and expanded to Richmond later that year, the M.A.P. Trio's Richmond features four Mingus compositions. Each is followed by a short collective improvisation.
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Ben Stiller champions Project A.L.S.

Wednesday, 12 November 2008 03:23

Lending his celebrity and giving his coin for a number of causes over the years, Ben Stiller has been particularly active on the part of Project A.L.S., the fund-raising organization established by theater producer Jenifer Estess to find a cure for the fatal neuromuscular illness best known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Estess died of the disease in 2003.

Hosting galas and donating money, Stiller has played a significant role in the org's successful fund-raising efforts over the years. To date, Project A.L.S. has procured more than $37 million, with 81% of that going directly to researching for a cure.

Stiller, who received the org's first Jenifer Estess Award three years ago, became involved when the founder -- who was a friend -- contacted him directly shortly after she was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

"I think when I was younger, I was more cynical about this kind of (philanthropic work)," he says. "I've come to realize over the years that you should do anything you can to draw attention to a cause like this. I have a lot of respect for people like Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt who regularly take time out of their life to do that kind of work."

Source: Variety

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Head, Shoulders, Knees, Toes Pull Heart Strings

Tuesday, 11 November 2008 13:22

You had to go and do it didn't you, Lowe Roche Toronto? Bring us down. Make us feel all emotionally overwrought. Make us feel like we're a loser because we live our happy life without much regard for those who don't have it as fortunate. Force us to watch the lives of others decay in front of our eyes - all within 60 seconds.

To that, we say brilliant. Yes, brilliant. This commercial for the ALS Society of Canada hits hard and dramatically illustrates the life-altering effects of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. In the spot, we see the increasingly debilitating effect of ALS and his family. It's not pretty. But then again, neither is the disease. And that's the whole point.

The spot uses the children's song, Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes. Explaining the song selection, Lowe Roche Creative Director Chistina Yu said, "We chose to create a spot that was musically and emotionally driven to raise awareness for ALS. This song is one which everybody can relate to and we wanted to use it unconventionally to illustrate how this disease eventually affects every body part."

The last verse will get you.

Source: AdRants

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Insmed Gains Royalty-Free Worldwide Rights for IPLEX(TM)

Monday, 10 November 2008 15:07

The following is the result of a focused community effort by Team Iplex:

Insmed Inc., a developer of follow-on biologics and biopharmaceuticals, today announced that Genentech, Ipsen/Tercica and Insmed jointly issued the following statement: Genentech, Ipsen/Tercica, and Insmed have been contacted by people living with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and their loved ones seeking access to an IGF-I/IGFBP3 product called IPLEX(TM), which is solely manufactured by Insmed. We understand the devastation a disease like ALS causes and that there are a lack of available therapies that provide meaningful clinical benefit.

Although IPLEX(TM) has not been rigorously tested in people with ALS, nor received regulatory approval for use in ALS, all the companies involved appreciate the urgency and desperation for new treatments in the ALS community. We are all working diligently to determine how best to respond to that need.

The availability of IPLEX(TM) is subject to a Court-Ordered Settlement Agreement. On November 8, 2008, Genentech and Ipsen/Tercica signed a letter of intent whereby they have consented to amend the Court-Ordered Settlement Agreement to permit Insmed to supply IPLEX(TM) in connection with named-patient ALS programs worldwide on a royalty-free basis. Insmed's ability to do so will be dependent on satisfying any regulatory requirements in any country where a request for treatment is made.

Ipsen/Tercica and Insmed also plan to enter into negotiations concerning the development of IPLEX(TM) for the treatment of ALS, subject to analyzing the data from the ALS patients in Italy who have received IPLEX(TM), and satisfying any applicable regulatory requirements.

These actions represent each company's commitment to find a solution to the requests coming from the community of patients and their families. Insmed will update the community as further progress is made.

Source: Yahoo Business