not show an effect of leuprorelin on SBMA patients, a subgroup analysis performed on patients who had symptoms for ten years or less did show improved swallowing function, and it was suggested that treatment may be more effective in patients who have shown symptoms for shorter periods of time or with less advanced disease. A recent follow-up open-label study compared thirty-six patients treated with leuprorelin to nontreated controls over eighty four months, and found that the treated group showed slower decline in motor function than the non-treated group. Significantly differing endpoints of this study included the ALS Functional Rating Scale, the Limb Norris Score, and the Norris Bulbar Score. Dutasteride Dutasteride is a 5α-reductase inhibitor which blocks the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, reducing overall androgen receptor activation. Fifty patients were recruited to a randomized, placebo controlled trial spanning two years, with a primary endpoint of quantitative muscle assessment. No significant difference was found in quantitative muscle assessment between the placebo and dutasteride groups at the two year mark. Secondary outcomes including barium swallow and manual muscle testing also showed no significant difference between groups. BVS857 IGF-1, a signaling molecule downstream of growth hormone, has well established functions promoting skeletal muscle growth. In preclinical studies on mouse models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, IGF-1 was shown to be protective against motor neuron death. A double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was performed with eighteen SBMA patients receiving BVS857, a mimetic of IGF-1, with nine placebo controls. The study found increased thigh muscle volume improved lean body mass following 12 weeks of treatment in the BVS857 group compared to placebo. However, eleven of eighteen patients were found to have an immune response against BVS857, with five patients developing neutralizing antibodies, posing a challenge for long-term treatment. Society and culture In 2000, the Kennedy's Disease Association was founded by Susanne and Terry Waite and Patrick Griffin to help find effective treatments and a cure for SBMA. The organization is managed and operated by an all-volunteer board of directors, and grown to over 1,600 associates from over 50 countries. Donations from patients and families provide funding to support research (90%), education (5%) and operating expenses (5%). KDA has awarded grants and fellowships to researchers in the United States, Canada, Britain, Italy, and Japan to support both basic research and clinical trials on the causes and potential treatments for SBMA. The KDA website states that they