MedRhythms today announced the advancement of its pipeline in multiple sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). As part of this effort, MedRhythms has established MS and PD Scientific Advisory Boards that will provide guidance related to the Company’s clinical and research activities in these disease states. Additionally, MR-004, the Company’s pipeline product for walking rehabilitation in MS, will be studied at Cleveland Clinic in a pilot-scale randomized controlled trial to evaluate its safety and efficacy. This trial is made possible by a grant from the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC).
The MedRhythms MS Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) welcomes Dr. Francois Bethoux and Dr. John DeLuca to the Board. Dr. Francois Bethoux, M.D. is the Director of Rehabilitation Services at the Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis at Cleveland Clinic and he is the Chair of the Research Interest Group on Symptom Management of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers. Dr. John DeLuca, Ph.D. is the Senior Vice President for Research and Training at the Kessler Foundation and a professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in the Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Department and the Neurology Department.
Dr. Bastiaan Bloem, Dr. Ray Dorsey, and Dr. Alexander Pantelyat are welcomed as the PD SAB’s first advisors. Dr. Bastiaan Bloem, M.D., Ph.D. is the Co-Director for Parkinson’s Net, Scientific Advisor of the Michael J. Fox Foundation, and an author of 550 publications. Dr. Ray Dorsey, M.D., M.B.A. is the Director of the Center for Health Technology at the University of Rochester and the Editor-in-Chief of Digital Biomarkers Journal. Dr. Alexander Pantelyat, M.D. is the Director of the Atypical Parkinson’s program at Johns Hopkins and the Director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Music and Medicine.
“We are excited to advance the pipeline of products by adding these world-renowned researchers and clinicians to our MS and PD Scientific Advisory Boards,” said Brian Harris, Co-Founder, and CEO of MedRhythms.
Each advisor brings to the MS and PD SABs unique clinical expertise and a history of significant research and publications in their fields. MedRhythms is committed to building world-class digital therapeutics through rigorous research to improve the lives of those the company serves. Establishing these SABs and measuring the outcomes of these devices in randomized controlled trials are essential to fulfilling that mission.
The study that’s researching the outcomes of MR-004 on subjects with MS will be initiated in early 2020 at Cleveland Clinic. MS SAB member Dr. Francois Bethoux will serve as the principal investigator.
“I’ve conducted many trials on interventions to improve walking in those living with MS, including the compelling impacts of rhythmic cueing in this population,” said Bethoux. “I look forward to undertaking the role of principal investigator in this study and to learn more about this investigational therapy and its potential impact on mobility and quality of life in patients with MS.”
This advancement follows multiple developments related to MedRhythms’ first product in stroke rehabilitation. In July, MedRhythms announced the development of its first SAB with a focus on stroke recovery. More recently, the Company announced the launch of a multi-site pivotal trial that will evaluate the efficacy of this first product at the nation’s top rehabilitation hospitals.