About Accelerated Cure Project for MS:

Our mission is to accelerate advances towards a cure for multiple sclerosis (MS).

Despite decades of diligent research by scientists worldwide, nobody fully understands what causes MS, what triggers a relapse, or what causes lasting disability in people with MS. Accelerated Cure Project is helping scientists to get to the bottom of these questions. Our ultimate goal is to produce knowledge that can be used to stop the effects of the disease in people with MS, and prevent MS in people who are at risk. We are also helping scientists develop safer, more effective treatments and to create new methods for diagnosing MS.

Background:

Accelerated Cure Project was founded in 2001 by Art Mellor, a high-tech entrepreneur who had been diagnosed with MS the previous year. Our initial scientific project was the development of the Cure Map, a comprehensive analysis of the causes of human disease and the knowledge generated by the many scientists who have investigated these causes in MS. You can learn more about the Cure Map here and download and read each of our Cure Map documents here.

From our work creating the Cure Map, we learned that MS is a complex, heterogeneous disease, and that future progress depends on research strategies and resources specifically tailored to address the challenges posed by this type of disorder. We launched the MS Repository in 2006 as a platform for bringing together data about multiple aspects of this disease that can be analyzed together to enable a deeper understanding of the causes and mechanisms of MS.

Mission Milestones and Accomplishments:

2001	ACP founded
	Cure Map initiated
	Scientific and Pharmaceutical Advisory Boards formed

2002	MSNews news portal launched

2004	MS Repository pilot study launched with two sites (UMass and Beth Israel)

2005	First set of repository samples and data distributed for scientific use (to Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation)
	First set of Repository-generated experimental results received
	Meeting held at American Academy of Neurology conference to discuss needs for MS sample banking
	Partnership formed with the Transverse Myelitis Association

2006	MS Repository main study launched
	Workshop on Infections in MS held in coordination with the HHV-6 Foundation
	Phase 1 coverage of the Cure Map (analysis of disease causes) completed

2007	Phase 2 coverage of the Cure Map (analysis of MS research) completed

2008	1000th repository subject enrolled
	Scientific summit meeting convened at Cold Springs Harbor Laboratory on the topic of Genes & Environment in MS

2009	Technical Advisory Board created
	Partnership formed with Guthy-Jackson Charitable Foundation
	Collaboration formed with Fast Forward
	Symposium held on the topic of Vitamin D in MS
	1000th repository subject with MS enrolled

2010	10th repository site opened (Stanford University School of Medicine)
	Symposium held on the topic of Using Systems Biology and Informatics to Understand MS

2011	50th research study supported with MS repository samples and data
	MS Discovery Forum launched (coming soon!)

Organizational facts:

Accelerated Cure Project is incorporated as a 501(c)3 organization and is headquartered in Waltham, MA. Our staff is supported by a Board of Directors, Scientific, Pharmaceutical, and Technical Advisory Boards, and numerous volunteers. Accelerated Cure Project is a founding member of the MS Coalition.

About Multiple Sclerosis:

Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a chronic demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system affecting over 400,000 people in the US and 2 million individuals worldwide. MS often results in severe disability including the inability to walk, impaired vision, or in some cases blindness, cognitive dysfunction, bladder and bowel problems, extreme fatigue and other serious symptoms. Unfortunately, no one knows what causes multiple sclerosis, there is no known cure for the disease, and treatments are modest at best.

About Other Demyelinating Diseases (NMO, TM, ADEM, ON):

There are several demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system that share many features in common with MS. These diseases include transverse myelitis (TM), neuromyelitis optica (NMO), acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), and optic neuritis (ON). Our repository enrolls subjects with these conditions as well, because so much can be learned by studying different diseases at the same time. Valued partnerships with the Guthy-Jackson Charitable Foundation for NMO and the Transverse Myelitis Association support the inclusion of people with these diseases in the repository. Please visit their web sites for more information about their important work. Please go to the NMO Repository to learn more about The Guthy-Jackson Repository for Neuromyelitis Optica.