Derek Dickow

Keep Hope Alive: sign the petition Ironically, I will be 25 years old on August 22nd. The way I see the situation is Deramiocel is the most realistic chance I have at keeping my heart healthy due to time. We can argue about the stats, which I greatly care about (I do not want drugs that don’t work to be approved), but there is enough positive cardiac data (5 year OLE stabilization) that we cannot kill nor delay this drug. Doing so would hurt patients like me who are running out of time and cannot afford for a new cardiac drug to be developed or for more clinical trials to happen before I can access Deramiocel. Time is muscle! Further, in patients with evidence of existing cardiomyopathy (those whose hearts are starting to fail), Capricor’s prespecified final analysis found an approximately 3.3-point benefit in LVEF. When it comes to rare diseases we need to look at everything and not just be strictly by the book. I believe that is inhumane in a disease with no other options, specifically the treatment is showing positive evidence in the heart. Alternatively is to leave patients like me no real options and accept the fate that my life will be cut short. I believe we can come together to make this right to where we maintain scientific integrity and allow patients access they so desperately need (e.g. conditional approval with cardiac post marketing, skeletal muscle, etc). Philosophically, I subscribe greatly to the concept that patients with the doctor’s supervision should have the Right to Try drugs they want. Bottom line is the patient. I do not see how in any possible world how it would be beneficial to not allow patients access to this drug. change.org/p/keep-hope-alive…