Beyond Batten Disease Foundation, Noah’s Hope, Hope 4 Bridget and Batten Disease Research and Support Association Partner to Support the World’s Largest and most Comprehensive Batten Patient Registry

For Immediate Release

Contact: Angela Hale

Red Media Group

Beyond Batten Disease Foundation, Noah’s Hope, Hope 4 Bridget and Batten Disease Research and Support Association Partner to Support the World’s Largest and most Comprehensive Batten Patient Registry

Austin, TX (September 12, 2016) — Beyond Batten Disease (BBDF), Noah’s Hope, Hope for Bridget and the Batten Disease Support and Research Association (BDSRA) are joining forces to support the expansion of DEM-CHILD, a novel network of prominent NCL clinician scientists and researchers working together to collect the world’s largest and most well-characterized set of patients with juvenile (CLN3), late infantile (CLN2) and 12 other forms of Batten disease. Funding will support the continued collection of patient data in Germany, Norway, Denmark, France, Argentina, Brazil, Italy, Great Britain, Finland, India and the United States with a special focus on standardization of measurement and widespread use of the Unified Batten Disease Rating Scale (UBDRS). “We are co-funding this effort with committed partners because we believe that good and thorough patient registries that identify all of the major and minor characteristics of a disease, along with family contact information, will be critical to the planning, execution and ultimately the success of any clinical trials for Batten disease,” said Mary Beth Kiser, CEO of the Beyond Batten Disease Foundation. The UBDRS was developed at the University of Rochester Batten Center to quantify the physical, behavioral, seizure and functional aspects of juvenile (CLN3) Batten disease. Jonathan W. Mink, MD PhD, FAAN, FANA, FAAP, Frederick A. Horner, MD Endowed Professor in Pediatric Neurology and president-elect of the Child Neurology Society at the University of Rochester Medical Center, will work with Angela Schulz, MD, principal investigator and coordinator of DEM CHILD at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf. Together and with their colleagues, Drs Mink and Schulz will add UBDRS data to DEM CHILD, further align their databases, and collaborate using the larger combined data to establish more rigorous natural history baselines for all forms of Batten disease. In the last few years, Dr Schulz has expanded DEM-CHILD from 7 countries to 18. Combined international patient registry development for control data, natural history documentation and biomarker identification is part of BBDF’s larger strategy to prepare for success in clinical trials. ABOUT BEYOND BATTEN DISEASE FOUNDATION Beyond Batten Disease Foundation (BBDF) is the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to funding research for a treatment and cure for juvenile (CLN3) Batten Disease. Since its inception in 2008, over $16 million has been invested in research by leveraging donations, co-funding and strategic partnerships. BBDF is spearheading a unique, cohesive strategy, incorporating independent scientific resources and collaboration with related organizations to drive research in juvenile Batten Disease. Today there is a treatment in sight. BBDF funded research has discovered a drug that slows the progression of the disease in Batten models. The foundation has launched a 24 month $6 million campaign to advance the treatment to clinical trials. More information can be found at www.beyondbatten.org. ABOUT NOAH’S HOPE-HOPE 4 BRIDGET Noah’s Hope-Hope 4 Bridget, a non-for-profit 501(c)3, was established by the parents of Noah VanHoutan, Laine VanHoutan and Bridget Kennicott, who were diagnosed Late Infantile Batten disease (CLN2) in 2009. After founding individual foundations in 2009, the families partnered in 2014 to strengthen their efforts in research and find a treatment and cure for children impacted by the fatal disease. Noah’s Hope-Hope 4 Bridget also works on awareness of Batten disease. Late Infantile Batten disease affects fewer than 450 children in the United States. Children with Late Infantile Batten disease develop normally through their toddler years, giggling, talking, and running circles around their parents. By age three, they begin to have seizures and gradually lose the ability to walk, talk, and feed themselves. Late Infantile Batten disease is ruthless. Noah passed away in March 2016, just a few weeks shy of his 12th birthday. At this time, Late Infantile Batten disease is fatal between the ages of eight and 12, sometimes longer. For more information, about Noah’s Hope visit:www.NoahsHope.com. For more information about Hope 4 Bridget visit: www.Hope4Brdiget.com ABOUT BATTEN DISEASE SUPPORT AND RESEARCH ASSOCIATION The Batten Disease Support and Research Association (BDSRA) serves those with all 14 identified forms of Batten disease through patient education, family and research conferences, consultation and advocacy. For nearly 30 years, BDSRA’s committed families have funded researchers around the world who have developed the research knowledge leading to today’s clinical trials. For more information: www.bdsra.org.

Hugs for Hudson and BBDF Join Forces

For Immediate Release
Contact: Mary Beth Kiser – 512-275-2600 – mbkiser@beyondbatten.org
Amy Phillips – 614-657-7707 – amy.r.phillips1@gmail.com

Columbus Family Creates Fund to Support Research for Fatal Childhood Illness: Beyond Batten Disease Foundation Announces the Addition of Hugs for Hudson Fund, Founded by the Family of Hudson Phillips.

Austin, Texas – April 6, 2016 – BBDF is proud to welcome the Hugs for Hudson Fund. BBDF, the world’s largest funder of juvenile Batten disease research, is able to make informed decisions about research projects that have the highest likelihood of becoming therapies. When a fund is created through BBDF, founders are offered an array of projects that are in line with their goals of driving research to finding treatments and discovering a cure, and are able to apply funding to the research areas that interest them the most.

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BBDF Funds Research at Cardiff University

November 16, 2015 – Austin, TX – Beyond Batten Disease Foundation is supporting research by Dr. Emyr Lloyd-Evans and his colleagues at the School of Biosciences at Cardiff University in Wales. The project explores a new hypothesis that has implications for several neurodegenerative diseases which exhibit excess Ca2+ levels, including Batten disease, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, ALS and other lysosomal storage diseases.

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BBDF Funds Researcher to Study Fundamentals of CLN3 Protein

October 19, 2015 – Austin, TX – Beyond Batten Disease Foundation (BBDF) has begun funding Susan Cotman, PhD, an Assistant Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School and Assistant in Neuroscience at the Massachusetts General Hospital. The focus of Dr. Cotman’s study is to determine the cellular location and function of the CLN3 protein. Although the CLN3 gene and associated mutations responsible for juvenile Batten disease were discovered 20 years ago, the primary function of the protein remains elusive. Utilizing recent advances in proteomics and biochemistry along with new antibodies and cell models developed by BBDF, Dr. Cotman hopes to better understand the CLN3 protein.

The successful completion of this project will substantially accelerate juvenile Batten disease research because key reagents and information for the study of CLN3 function and dysfunction will be established. Dr. Cotman’s work will increase our understanding of CLN3, a critical step in the path towards the creation of rational, targeted therapies.

ABOUT BEYOND BATTEN DISEASE FOUNDATION

Beyond Batten Disease Foundation (BBDF) is the world’s largest organization dedicated to funding research for a treatment or cure for juvenile (CLN3) Batten disease. Since its inception in 2008, BBDF has applied over $15.5 million towards juvenile Batten disease research by direct donations, leveraging donor-funded successes, and forming strategic partnerships. BBDF is spearheading a unique, cohesive strategy, incorporating independent scientific resources and collaboration with related organizations to drive research in juvenile Batten Disease. For more information, visit www.beyondbatten.org

Evotec and Beyond Batten Disease Foundation collaborate to advance emerging therapies to fight juvenile Batten Disease

Hamburg, Germany – 18 October 2015: Evotec AG (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: EVT, TecDAX, ISIN: DE0005664809) today announced an EVT Execute collaboration with Beyond Batten Disease Foundation (“BBDF”) aimed at discovering and developing new treatments for juvenile Batten (CLN3) disease, a rare, pediatric, fatal autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder.

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Beyond Batten Disease Foundation Kicks Off the First Family Night Fundraising Event at Schlitterbahn Waterpark and Sets the Second Event for September 2016

Austin, Texas – October 5, 2015– The Beyond Batten Disease Foundation celebrated a family-fun night at Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels in September to raise funds to find treatments or a cure for juvenile Batten disease. The waterpark was closed for the private event, giving families’ access to the park’s waterslides with no lines. Attendees also enjoyed the Skycoaster, a combination skydiving, hang-gliding thrill ride where you fly over the park.

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Beyond Batten Disease Foundation announces Craig Benson’s appointment to the NRI International Advisory Board

Austin, TX – July 15, 2015 – Beyond Batten Disease Foundation (BBDF) is pleased to announce Craig Benson’s appointment to the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute (NRI) International Advisory Board. Consistent with BBDF’s strategy and goals to connect our research with top-ranked institutions, Craig is eager to join the NRI in its mission.

The NRI at Texas Children’s Hospital aims to reduce the temporal and conceptual gap between initial gene discovery and clinical applications by providing the context, core services, and community to support interdisciplinary collaborations between physicians, scientists, and patients. Designed to advance the understanding of neurological disorders, such as Batten disease, through basic and translational research and ultimately mitigate the impact of these devastating disorders on human life, the NRI has been integral in BBDF’s success.

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Beyond Batten Disease Foundation Renowned Italian Researcher Publishes Groundbreaking Research in Top International Scientific Publication

Austin, Texas – June 9, 2015 – Beyond Batten Disease Foundation (BBDF) announces groundbreaking research published in Nature Cell Biology. The lysosome biology research is leading the way to a cure for juvenile Batten Disease.

“We think this research is our strongest candidate for therapeutic development for juvenile Batten Disease and understanding lysosome biology is the way to find a cure for this devastating disease,” said Danielle M. Kerkovich, PhD, BBDF Principal Scientist.

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Beyond Batten Disease Foundation Joins Innovative Network of Venture Philanthropies

Austin, Texas – May 12, 2015 – Beyond Batten Disease Foundation has become a participating organization of The Research Acceleration and Innovation Network (TRAIN), a program of FasterCures, bringing the total number of venture philanthropies in TRAIN to 80.

FasterCures established TRAIN in 2005 to connect innovators in the disease research space with the vital resources, tools and relationships to catalyze development of new therapies and cures. Through the network, innovation in one disease area is translated to another in order to achieve treatment breakthroughs for all.

“We are pleased to expand our fight against juvenile Batten disease by becoming a partner in TRAIN to transform juvenile Batten disease research and accelerate our timeline to a cure,” said Danielle M. Kerkovich, PhD, BBDF Principal Scientist.

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Beyond Batten Disease Foundation and the New York Academy of Sciences Release a New Podcast Revealing Innovative Ways to Cure Rare Disease

Austin, Texas – Beyond Batten Disease Foundation (BBDF) and the New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS) are working together in a new and innovative way to find a cure for a rare disease. While diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s are widely known, rare diseases like juvenile Batten lack the attention and resulting funds needed to research, develop, and implement treatments. Juvenile Batten even lacks awareness among the medical and research community itself.

To raise awareness among research thought leaders and focus their collective energies on a key topic in juvenile Batten disease research, BBDF Principal Scientist, Danielle Kerkovich, PhD, proposed a unique think-tank of top experts from the Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, cancer and Lysosomal Storage Diseases (LSDs) fields to focus on our common drug target—a cell’s lysosome. Lysosomes are the recycling centers of the cell playing vital roles in the removal of cellular waste and keeping critical cell systems in balance. In diseases like juvenile Batten, other LSDs and adult forms of neurodegeneration, lysosome dysfunction compromises multiple cell systems eventually resulting in cell death.

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