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In an effort to educate potential volunteers to try RVT-101 in a clinical trial, the MINDSET STUDY is trying something new. Doctors and NFL football stars will get together to give lunch-and-learn sessions, as well as free memory screenings. See how.

Sponsored by Axovant Sciences Ltd., the MINDSET study is evaluating a drug known as RVT-101 in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease patients. RVT-101 has already been studied in 13 clinical trials and administered in over 1,250 individuals, where it was observed to be well tolerated.

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RVT-101 is being studied as an add-on therapy to donepezil (brand name: Aricept™), the most widely used Alzheimer’s disease treatment today.

In a large, late-stage study, the combination of RVT-101 and donepezil was observed to provide statistically significant evidence of benefit to patients as compared to donepezil alone. MINDSET’s objective is to confirm the results of this earlier study, meaning the MINDSET study could be the final step before the drug is considered for approval by the FDA and regulatory bodies in other countries.

NFL Broadcaster Solomon Wilcots is teaming with patient advocacy groups and Axovant Sciences Ltd.’s MINDSET study on an educational campaign about the importance of participation in clinical trials of new drugs for treating Alzheimer’s disease.

Slated for national launch this month with kick-off activities taking place during Super Bowl 50 week in February in San Francisco, “Huddle Up for New Alzheimer’s Treatments” will involve a line-up of physicians who are investigators in the MINDSET study, patient advocates and former NFL players. The campaign is designed to increase awareness about late-stage clinical research and encourage individuals and their caregivers to speak with doctors about study participation.

“Bringing new Alzheimer’s treatments to market requires the help of patients and caregivers who participate in late-stage clinical research studies,” said Ilise Lombardo, MD, who leads Axovant’s MINDSET study and previously treated Alzheimer’s patients in her position at Columbia University. “Education and teamwork are critical to helping the medical community get potential treatments over the goal line.”

Wilcots, originally from Los Angeles, is an Emmy award-winning broadcaster with CBS Sports, NFL Network and SiriusXM. Earlier in his career, he worked with ESPN and was a sports anchor and Bengals reporter for NewsChannel 5 in Cincinnati. He spent six seasons in the NFL as a defensive back with the Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings. As a member of the Cincinnati team, he played in Super Bowl XXIII.

“Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most tragic health crises of our time and touches all of us through those we know and love,” Wilcots said. “Fortunately, there are several potential treatments in the latest stages of development. With these important clinical trials underway, it’s appropriate to name participants and their caregivers the MVPs in Alzheimer’s drug development. We need to encourage more of them to get and stay involved. The participation of retired NFL players in our campaign provides a model of leadership for the general population who tend to look to us and other professional athletes as sources of guidance and inspiration, including for health and rehabilitation.”

RVT-101 Alzheimer’s Trial Offers Lunch-and-Learn Sessions and Memory Screenings