UK-based organisation Cure Parkinson’s has united with France Parkinson to form new platform trials organisation Global Alliance for Parkinson’s Platforms (GAPP), it announced in November.
GAPP was formed at the second annual International PD-Platform Meeting, which united leaders of Parkinson’s platform trials from around the globe.
Through GAPP, Cure Parkinson’s and France Parkinson hope to speed discovery of new Parkinson’s treatments by strengthening coordination across platform trials worldwide, ensuring they work together rather than in isolation.
Platform trials differ from regular clinical trials in that they test multiple treatments within a single, flexible trial structure. It is hoped that with GAPP’s involvement, potential disease-modifying therapies – treatments that could slow the progression of Parkinson’s – will be evaluated more quickly.
Explaining how the new organisation will work, Simon Stott, Director of Research at Cure Parkinson’s, said: “The creation of GAPP brings together leaders of major Parkinson’s platform trials from the UK, France, the US, Norway and Australia. We will actively involve people living with Parkinson’s, share resources, align data standards, and harmonise study procedures. GAPP will therefore reduce duplication, support smart drug selection, and promote shared learning and insights into regulatory trends across countries.”
The alliance is made up of a steering group and different working groups, which will focus on drug preparedness, data harmonisation, biomarkers, long-term sustainability and public and patient involvement and engagement (PPIE).
It is hoped that by strengthening global engagement with industry partners, GAPP will make it easier for biotech and pharmaceutical companies to partner with platform trials, contribute candidate drugs (those which have shown potential in early research), and collaborate across regions.
Strengthen impact and create clearer path
By connecting national initiatives in a global effort, GAPP aims to strengthen the scientific impact of each platform trial and create a clearer path from early-phase discovery to definitive late-phase trials.
CEO of Cure Parkinson’s Helen Matthews said: “With France Parkinson we are very proud to have created a global collaboration for Parkinson’s platform trials. This collaboration will speed up progress, improve efficiency and ultimately accelerate a cure.”
Marie Fuzzati, Scientific Director of France Parkinson, said: “France Parkinson is proud to take part in, and to co-coordinate, this international effort alongside Cure Parkinson’s. Only through collaboration and the sharing of international expertise will we be able to advance knowledge and strengthen research, bringing us closer to discovering treatments capable of slowing the progression of Parkinson’s.”
