2021 Champions for Cures and Care - Flipbook - Page 21
placebo. The company is urgently working for the early approval of AMX0035, as a
promising oral therapy.
In June 2021, Amylyx filed a New Drug Submission (NDS) for AMX0035 for the treatment of
ALS with Health Canada. On November 2, 2021, Amylyx announced that it has submitted a
New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for AMX0035
for the treatment of ALS. On November 4, 2021, the company announced the launch of
their Phase 3 Study, named PHOENIX, which will be conducted at approximately 65 sites
in Europe and the U.S., including two California ALS Treatment Centers of Excellence. The
trial will enroll approximately 600 participants with clinically definite or clinically probable
ALS within 24 months from symptom onset which expands the inclusion criteria used in
the previous trial.
The Golden West Chapter Chapter is proud to recognize Amylyx with the 2021 Commitment
to Cures Award for their efforts to champion drug discovery and development in the
relentless pursuit of treatments and cures for people with ALS and related diseases.
ABOUT THE ESSEY FAMILY
Sheila Essey, her husband, Richard “Dick” Essey,
and their kids, Tina (Essey) Mikkelsen and Jim Essey
In 1994, on the day before Thanksgiving, Sheila Essey was diagnosed with ALS. Her husband
of 43 years, Richard “Dick” Essey was shocked to learn that, at that time, there was no
organization to help caregivers find resources in the San Francisco Bay Area, or raise money
for research. Richard and Sheila’s focused and transformational efforts helped to form the
Bay Area Chapter of The ALS Association, where Dick served as a founding board member.
In 2010, the Bay Area Chapter merged with the Greater Los Angeles Chapter to form the
Golden West Chapter, which is now the largest Chapter in The ALS Association. Dick also
served as a member of the National Board of Trustees of The ALS Association.
The Esseys shared a passion to fuel the search for effective treatments and cures for ALS. In
1996, Dick created the Sheila Essey Award for ALS Research to recognize outstanding and
groundbreaking contributions to ALS research in the international neurological community
and honor Sheila’s memory. This prestigious award, which the Golden West Chapter
facilitates every year, is presented to top researchers in the field of ALS and is accompanied
by a $50,000 prize.
For over 26 years, the Essey family has been one of the most active, influential forces
globally in the fight against ALS. In recognition of their extraordinary contributions, the
Golden West Chapter named its highest honor, “The Essey Awards,” for the family’s
unwavering commitment to the Chapter’s mission priorities in Care Services, Awareness,
Advocacy, and Research.
Sadly, Sheila lost her life to ALS in 2004, and the ALS community lost an extraordinary
champion with Dick’s passing in 2020. Their spirit lives on through the generosity and vision
of the Essey family, who continue to fuel scientific discovery, support families facing ALS,
and bring about a new era of hope in the fight against ALS.