=============================================================== == == == ----------- ALS INTEREST GROUP ----------- == == ALS Digest (#32, 01 APR 1993) == == == == To subscribe, to unsubscribe, to request back issues, == == to contribute notes, etc. to ALS Digest, please send == == e-mail to: == == bro@huey.met.fsu.edu (Bob Broedel) == == == == All interested people may "broadcast" messages to == == ALS Digest subscribers by sending to: == == als@huey.met.fsu.edu == == == =============================================================== (1) ===== Building the net (continued). ========== Date : 30 Mar 1993 20:25:19 -0500 (EST) From : ROSEN@HELIX.MGH.HARVARD.EDU Subject: ALS-ON-LINE Just received your surface mail note about your ALS email service. As you are aware, we reported the discovery of mutations in the superoxide dismutase-1 gene in familial ALS in Nature. I am willing to contribute, but there is a crunch on my time as there is still a massive amount of work top be done. Let me know by email what you might desire as a contribution (clinical data, research results, history, etc.) and I will try to put something together. Sincerely, Dan Rosen (2) ===== Locating relevant Internet addresses ========== Here are some samples of what was collected by sending WHOIS inquiries. One does this by sending e-mail to: mailserv@internic.net In the subject line say, "whois mayo" (as an example), leaving the message body blank. (a) ----- Date: Wed, 31 Mar 93 06:17:23 EST From: mailserv@internic.net (Mail Server) Subject: Re: whois regeneron Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (REGPHA-DOM) 777 Old Saw Mill River Road Tarrytown, NY 10591 Domain Name: REGPHA.COM Administrative Contact: Schoffstall, Martin L. (MS9) SCHOFF@PSI.COM (703) 620-6651 Technical Contact, Zone Contact: Nadeau, Ted (TN62) NADEAUT@NISC.PSI.NET (518) 283-8860 Record last updated on 12-Mar-92. Domain servers in listed order: NS.PSI.NET 192.33.4.10 NS2.PSI.NET 192.35.82.2 (b) ----- Subject: Re: whois cephalon No match for "CEPHALON". (c) ----- Subject: Re: whois synergen Synergen, Inc. (NETBLK-SYNERGEN) 1885 33rd Street Boulder, CO 80301-2546 Netname: NETBLK-SYNERGEN Netblock: 192.207.147.0 - 192.207.150.0 Coordinator: Baker, Wendy (WB80) [No mailbox] (303) 441-5522 Record last updated on 01-Sep-92. (d) ----- Subject: Re: whois amgen [No name] (AMGEN) NS.AMGEN.COM 138.133.10.1 AMGEN (AMGEN-DOM) AMGEN.COM Amgen, Inc. (NET-AMGEN) AMGEN 138.133.0.0 For more info try whois AMGEN-DOM or whois NET-AMGEN, etc. (e) ----- Subject: Re: whois genentech Genentech, Inc. (FM-CMU) FM.SEI.CMU.EDU 128.237.3.23 Genentech, Inc. (NET-GENNET) GENNET 192.12.78.0 Genentech, Inc. (NET-GENNET1) GENNET1 128.137.0.0 Genentech, Incorporated (GENIE) GENIE.GENE.COM 128.137.1.1 Genentech, Incorporated (GENE-DOM) GENE.COM For more info try whois NET-GENNET, whois GENE-DOM, etc. (f) ----- Subject: Re: whois mayo Mayo Clinic/Foundation (NET-MRI-NET) MRI-NET 192.65.79.0 Mayo Foundation (MAYO-DOM) MAYO.EDU Mayo Foundation (NET-MAYO) MAYO 129.176.0.0 Mayo Foundation (INFRA-NAME-HST)INFRA-NAME.MAYO.EDU 129.176.199.5 For more info try whois NET-MAYO, whois MAYO-DOM, etc. (g) ----- Subject: Re: whois scripps Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation (NET-SCRIPPSNET) SCRIPPSNET 192.42.82.0 Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation (NET-SCRIPPSNET-B) SCRIPPSNET-B 192.26.250.0 Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation (NET-SCRIPPSNET-BIG) SCRIPPSNET-BIG 137.131.0.0 Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation (NET-SCRIPPSNET-C) SCRIPPSNET-C 192.26.251.0 Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation (NET-SCRIPPSNET-D) SCRIPPSNET-D 192.26.252.0 Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation (NET-SCRIPPSNET-E) SCRIPPSNET-E 192.26.253.0 Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation (NET-SCRIPPSNET-F) SCRIPPSNET-F 192.26.254.0 (3) ===== re: SOD-1 ========== Date : 31 Mar 1993 15:36:27 -0500 (EST) From : ROSEN@HELIX.MGH.HARVARD.EDU Subject: Thanks for Newsletters I just finished scanning through all the back issues of the ALS Interest Group. It seems to me that there is a great deal of distortion and misunderstanding about our findings for SOD-1 and familial ALS specifically, and a lot of confusion in general. It is especially amusing to see all the spin-doctoring being done by a number of people and institutions attempting to grab credit for what was done here at MGH. The fact is my boss, Dr. Robert H. Brown, Jr., deserves the lion's share of the credit because it was his relentless pursuit and his vision of the best approach for finding the cause of ALS that was truly instrumental in the discovery of the SOD-1 mutations. I urge anyone who believes they can help Dr. Brown's efforts contact us at brown@helix.mgh.harvard.edu or by surface mail at: Dr. Robert H. Brown, Jr., M.D., Ph.D. Director, Day Neuromuscular Research Laboratory Massachusetts General Hospital 149 Thirteenth Street Charlestown, MA 02129-2060 As you know, our work is far from complete. In the laboratory, we are in the process of attempting to define mutations in the SOD-1 gene for all of our ALS families, and to extend our findings to cases of sporadic ALS. On the clinical end, Dr. Brown is beginning to organize trials for antioxidant compounds. I'll try to keep you posted on our progress, and would be happy to answer specific queries about our studies or about the truth, from a discoverer's perspective, behind who-found-what-when. Regards, Dan Rosen (4) ===== re: CNTF clinical trials ========== OTC 03/30 1330 REGENERON IN PIVOTAL EFFICACY STUDY OF CNTF TO ... TARRYTOWN, NY (MARCH 30) BIZWIRE - Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) announced Tuesday that it has begun a pivotal study to determine the safety and efficacy of its recombinant human ciliary neurotrophic factor (rhCNTF) to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease). The first patients in this Phase III study will begin treatment with rhCNTF this week. The double-blind, placebo controlled study will include two dose levels of rhCNTF and will involve more than 700 patients in over 30 clinical sites in the United States. The study will investigate the safety of rhCNTF as well as its ability to slow the rate of progression of the disease. If successful, the data from the trial will be used to support the submission of a Product License Application (PLA) to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). ALS is a disease of the motor neurons, the nerve cells that contract muscles. Degeneration of these nerve cells causes muscle weakness, leading invariably to death. Jesse M. Cedarbaum, M.D., Regeneron's vice president of clinical affairs, commented, "We are encouraged by the progress of rhCNTF in clinical trials and hope that it will provide safe and effective treatment for the sufferers of ALS, a fatal disease for which no treatment exists. Our efforts to conduct scientifically rigorous clinical studies have been enhanced by the dedicated work of many people outside of Regeneron, especially the leading neurologists and members of their staffs who have formed the ALS CNTF Treatment Study group." Less than a year ago, Regeneron was the first company to begin human trials of rhCNTF for the treatment of ALS. Its Phase II study began during the fourth quarter of 1992. Regeneron is a leader in the discovery and development of biotechnology-based compounds for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, peripheral neuropathies, and nerve injuries. In addition to rhCNTF, which it is developing by itself, Regeneron is developing other proteins for the treatment of peripheral neuropathies, motor neuron diseases, retinal degenerations, and other neurological and neurodegenerative diseases and conditions. Regeneron is developing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) with Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) for diseases of both the peripheral and central nervous systems, and Amgen-Regeneron Partners plans to commence the first BDNF clinical study later in 1993. CONTACT: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc., Tarrytown Fredric D. Price, 914/347-7000 or Robinson, Lake, Lerer & Montgomery, New York Michael Gross, 212/484-7721 == end of als 32 ==