Huntington’s Associations across Australia and the rest of the world have learned today that the Roche clinical trial called Phase III Generation HD1 has been halted, not by Roche, but by an independent data monitoring committee.
The detailed reasons for this decision are not yet available, but those participating on the trial of the drug (known as Tominersen) are being contacted individually by the research teams to let them know this tough news.
We, like you, are extremely disappointed by this decision as so many hopes were riding on a successful trial outcome for a new and effective drug. We know that Roche and its Australian research partners will be communicating more details as soon as they are available. Please remember however, that there are more trials underway, and more still in the pipeline.
HD research funding is high relative to the number of people with HD, as it is seen as a potential gateway to better understanding other neurological diseases.
While this doesn’t make today’s news any easier, please remember that both hope and work for a cure, or a way to prevent HD is a huge priority for a large body of researchers across many different countries and many research disciplines.
Here is a link to the statement put out by the Roche team.
If you would like to read some more head over to HD Buzz.