I have recently been reading about a new treatment that has me as excited as I have ever been that we are closer to a cure for PN. Some of you may be aware of this and I apologize if it has been posted earlier.

The treatment is made by a company called Sangamo Biosciences and uses protein molecules called "zinc finger protein transcription fingers". These molecules act by attaching to DNA molecules and modifying their function. They can be made for any specific gene and have shown great promise in early studies. They can even repair defective genes that cause various diseases.

The most exciting part is that the company's most clinically advanced product is in the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Their product upregulates the gene for vascular endothelial growth factor. This growth factor stimulates the growth of perineural blood vessels and been shown to regenerate nerve fibers and improve nerve function!! The compound is also in trials for treatment of ALS, spinal cord injury, Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. They are currently involved in Phase IIb trials and expect to have data by the end of this year. They will then hopefully move on to Phase III studies next year. Please Google this company and read about this exciting product line.

The company has also filed a patent application dated this month for the process that allows Zinc Fingered Proteins to upregulate genes that produce Neurotropic Factor 3 proteins (NT 3) and Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (GNDF). Deficiency in the former is prevalent in many different types of PN including CMTand Diabetic PN and the latter is involved in Parkinson's Disease. This is incredibly exciting stuff that may prove to be the next generation treatments we have all been hoping for. This should give hope that some of our suffering may be treatable in the near future.