Sara Cotter, mom to a child with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), has formed a company dedicated to advancing treatments for PWS and related disorders. The company is called Levo Therapeutics (www.levotheraputics.com). Sara has years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, most recently as an analyst with UBS. She recently left her job to pursue the leadership of Levo Therapeutics full time. Her commitment to PWS through Levo Therapeutics is a positive step for development of therapeutic options for the PWS community.
See the full Levo Therapeutics press release by Clicking HERE
Ferring has completed a successful Phase II study of Carbetocin in PWS. There are three phases in drug development and Carbetocin is ready to enter the third and final stage. Carbetocin is the fastest and best chance for a therapeutic option for an oxytocin-like drug. Levo Therapeutics plans to complete its transaction with Ferring Pharmaceuticals and build financial and human resources to perform a Phase III trial with PWS. If successful, they could then be in position to seek approval from the FDA for its use in PWS.
Exactly how the funds we raised to support the further development of “oxytocin” may be best used with Carbetocin/oxytocin is being evaluated. It is however clear that through our raising of substantial funds as a PWS community, we have spurred increased activity on oxytocin/Carbetocin that led to today’s announcement.
Research Chair
Prader-Willi Syndrome Association (USA)
Perry A. Zirkel has written more than 1,500 publications on variousย aspects of school law, with an emphasis on legal issues in special education.ย He writes a regular column for NAESPโsย Principalย magazine and NASPโsย Communiquรฉย newsletter, and he did so previously forย Phi Delta Kappanย andย Teaching Exceptional Children.
Jennifer Bolander has been serving as a Special Education Specialist for PWSA (USA) since October of 2015. She is a graduate of John Carroll University and lives in Ohio with her husband Brad and daughters Kate (17), and Sophia (13) who was born with PWS.
Dr. Amy McTighe is the PWS Program Manager and Inpatient Teacher at the Center for Prader-Willi Syndrome at the Childrenโs Institute of Pittsburgh. She graduated fromย Duquesne University receiving her Bachelorโs and Masterโs degree in Education with a focus on elementary education, special education, and language arts.
Evan has worked with the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association (USA) since 2007 primarily as a Crisis Intervention and Family Support Counselor. Evans works with parents and schools to foster strong collaborative relationships and appropriate educational environments for students with PWS.
Staci Zimmerman works for Prader-Willi Syndrome Association of Colorado as an Individualized Education Programย (IEP) consultant. Staci collaborates with the PWS multi-disciplinary clinic at the Childrenโs Hospital in Denverย supporting families and school districts around the United Statesย with their childโs Individual Educational Plan.
Founded in 2001, SDLC is a non-profit legal services organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the legal rights of people with disabilities throughout the South. It partners with the Southern Poverty Law Center, Protection and Advocacy (P&A) programs, Legal Services Corporations (LSC) and disability organizations on major, systemic disability rights issues involving the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the federal Medicaid Act. Recently in November 2014, Jim retired.