Latest News

FuRST-pHD Project
The Huntington Society of Canada is working with the Ontario Cancer Biomarker Network and Dr. Mark Guttman to conduct research on the development of a Functional Rating Scale for Individuals with Pre-Huntington Disease.  This will research will help with assisting physicians to diagnosis and treat HD EARLIER than ever before, as well aid in targeting clinical trials.  

FuRST-pHD will be conducting separate focus groups for individuals living in the Toronto area who are pre-Huntington disease, early Huntington Disease and caregivers.  The purpose of these groups will be to openly discuss which signs and symptoms of HD are worrisome, bothersome or interfere with daily activities.  The focus groups are planned for early spring 2009.  If you are interested in participating in these groups please contact Jo Anne Watton at 1-800-998-7398, ext 32. 

New HD Clinical Trial
The Huntington Study Group (HSG) is conducting a study of the research medication ACR16 in persons 30 years of age and older who have clinical features of Huntington Disease (HD). HART is designed to determine the general safety and tolerability and an effective dose of ACR16 as well as the effect of ACR16 on motor (movement) and cognitive (thinking) abilities in subjects with HD.

To read more about the importance of ACR16 and the trial being conducted in North America click here

Click here to see the list of participating research sites
To read the press release click here

HSG Clinical Trials In (or soon to be) Process
Coenzyme Q-10 (2CARE), and ACR-16 (HART) trials, and those in planning stages: Creatine (CREST-E) and Coenzyme Q-10 for premanifest HD (PreQuel).

For more information please visit the HSG website

HSG TREND Study Results
The Huntington Study Group (HSG) announces the publication of two papers today in Archives of Neurology pertaining to a recently completed, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of an omega 3 fatty acid, ethyl-eicospantaenoic acid (ethyl-EPA), for people with Huntington disease. 

In the paper, “Randomized Controlled Trial of Ethyl-Eicosapentaenoic Acid in Huntington Disease,” the HSG study investigators report that ethyl-EPA was not beneficial in patients with Huntington disease during the six months of placebo-controlled evaluation.  The study’s primary outcome measure was the Total Motor Score 4, a measure of involuntary movements that are seen in individuals with Huntington disease.  After the initial six months of study, all study participants received the study drug, ethyl-EPA, for an additional six months.  After twelve months of observation, those that were initially randomized to ethyl-EPA demonstrated improvement on the Total Motor Score 4 compared to those initially randomized to placebo.  These potentially beneficial effects require confirmation in longer placebo controlled studies.  Ethyl-EPA was safe and well tolerated in the study.

For more information please visit the HSG website