Drug Repurposing in PANS: Improving Access to Innovative Treatment Options

This webinar focused on drug repurposing in PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) and the importance of collecting patient data through the BIC (the Brain Inflammation Collaborative) platform, unhide. Dr. Jenny Frankovich from Stanford University presented research on the involvement of the basal ganglia, thalamus, and amygdala in PANS patients, along with evidence of blood-brain barrier disruption during flares. Breanne Failor, BIC's Director of Strategic Partnerships, demonstrated how to use the Unhide platform to track symptoms and treatments, sharing her family's experience using the platform to document her child's response to various medications. Dr. Denise Calaprice explained the PMQ (PANS/PANDAS Medications Questionnaire) survey, which collects data on immunologic medications and their effectiveness in treating PANS symptoms. The presenters discussed the challenges of diagnosing and treating PANS, including strategies to convince clinicians that symptoms such as joint pain are serious, and emphasized the need for more research to develop effective treatments and conduct clinical trials. \ Who We Are: The Brain Inflammation Collaborative is a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing and managing a research-grade database that supports both patients and researchers. Our goal is to build bridges across the healthcare and research ecosystems to drive patient-centered research, improve diagnosis, and enhance clinical education regarding neuroinflammation-related diseases. By fostering collaboration, we aim to accelerate discoveries that lead to better treatment options and improved patient outcomes. Learn more about us here: https://braininflammation.org/ \ Donate: https://braininflammation.org/give/