THERAPEUTIC FOCUS

CNS

The central nervous system (CNS) consists of the brain and spinal cord. Disorders of this system affect a large portion of the population, often with severe consequences. These include debilitating disorders include degenerative conditions such as Parkinson's disease, Huntington’s disease, amyotrophic lateral scierosis (ALS), Alzheimer's disease, impaired cognition, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, migraine and psychiatric disorders such as depression and schizophrenia. While treatments exist for many CNS disorders, with varying degrees of effectiveness, there still remain major unmet patient needs for such conditions.

In the US, it is estimated that over 20% of healthcare expenditure is directed towards CNS related disorders. The population diagnosed with CNS disorders is rising, driven mainly by an aging population and improving diagnostic techniques. It has been estimated that more than $50 billion is spent annually on prescription CNS drug treatments in the US alone.

This page was last updated on May 30, 2008