BURLINGAME, Calif., April 19, 2005 /PRNewswire/ -- Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure (ABC2), the Alzheimer's Association, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, and The Robert Packard Center for ALS Research at Johns Hopkins today announced a pioneering collaboration to fund development of new therapeutic approaches with application to diverse brain diseases. The organizations' first common award program is seeking applications focused on technologies that can achieve selective targeting and/or delivery of therapeutic agents to specific regions or cells in the brain, including overcoming the limitations imposed by the blood-brain barrier, which can be applied in the clinical setting in the next 24 months.

"This collaboration offers a unique opportunity to help mobilize research with critical significance and near-term potential," stated John Reher, ABC2 Executive Director. "There are a number of new approaches that could have a meaningful impact on a range of brain diseases, including brain cancer, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and ALS. By teaming together, we will be able to further leverage all of our resources, overcome hurdles, and accelerate progress in bringing new, promising therapies to clinics and the patients."

In October 2004, ABC2 convened a meeting of the Alzheimer's Association, The Michael J. Fox Foundation, the Packard Center and others to identify common problems in the development of therapies for neuro-degenerative brain diseases. The group, named the Brain Trust, hopes to expand to include many other brain organizations, companies, and universities in funding other collaborative efforts.