Healey ALS Platform Trial

What is the Healey Platform Trial?

  • An ALS clinical trial that tests 5 different therapies at 54 different trial sites across the United States. You can learn more about the structure and originality of  the trial here.

How many patients will be enrolled in the Healey Trial?

  • 160 patients will be enrolled per each of the five treatment arms.

What is the duration of the trial?

  • 24 weeks

When does the Healey Trial start?

  • There is not an exact date set yet. That being said, best estimates have the trial starting in May or June. People living with ALS are encouraged to contact trial sites near their residence as soon as possible. The enrollment will be competitive, meaning on a first come, first serve basis.

What phase clinical trial is this considered?

  • The stages of the therapies in the Healey Trial fall under the phase 2/3 trial or what the FDA considers a pivotal trial.

Please explain the expanded access element of the  trial.

  • Since the duration of the trial is not very long compared to other pivotal trials, the FDA encourages patients who would like to continue therapy usage after the trial is completed, to do so. This will allow researchers to monitor the long term safety of the therapy.
Curious about patient eligibility criteria? Click here and scroll to the bottom of the webpage.

Click on any of the company logos below to learn about the therapy they are contributing to the platform trial.

For more Healey Platform Trial info please click here for the MGH website

Natalie Fernandez
Program Director, CFO
Natalie is the associate project manager of clinical development at Viracta Therapeutics in San Diego, CA. In her spare time, she works as the program director and CFO of MOFF. Well connected within the ALS community, Natalie runs the ALS Research Paper Review Initiative (ALS RPR) and is a member of the ALS Association National Chapter Patient and Caregiver Advisory Committee (PCAC). Natalie completed her MBA degree in Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Business at The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia in June 2019. She holds an undergraduate degree from NYU in Communicative Sciences and Disorders and Spanish.

Andrea Fernandez
Director, Secretary
Andrea is currently working for Plaid in San Francisco, California. She earned her B.S. at California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo. Andrea chose to live abroad and teach in Spain for a year prior to moving to San Francisco. She is currently enjoying the NorCal city lifestyle and looking forward to all that is to come.

John Ronca
Board Member
John joined the MOFF board of directors in April 2020. Bio coming soon.

Cheri Humphrey
Board Member
Cheri Humphrey joined the MOFF board of directors in August of 2019. Cheri grew up in Dixon, CA and moved to San Luis Obispo to attend Cal Poly. It was there that she met her husband Jim. They now reside in SLO and have a daughter, Victoria and a son, Riley. Cheri is instrumental in the operations of the iconic Madonna Inn, which she has been the manager of since 1989. Cheri and her family have been ALS advocates since the inception of MOFF. We are honored to have Cheri as part of the board to guide community outreach and continue raising awareness of ALS prevalence on the Central Coast.

Ian Parkinson
Board Member
We are very excited to welcome San Luis Obispo County Sheriff, Ian Parkinson, into his second two-year term as a member of the Martha Olson-Fernandez Foundation Board. Ian has served as Sheriff since 2011 and is well known in the community for this tireless efforts to improve the law enforcement processes of SLO County. Ian knew Martha Olson-Fernandez and has been a supporter of MOFF since 2012. We are very grateful for his commitment to help us carry out our mission to fight ALS through patient care and research. We look forward to utilizing his strategic insights and community outreach to further the MOFF mission.

Larry Fernandez
Director, CEO
Larry is currently an executive for a private vegetable seed company. He has been an entrepreneur in the seed industry for 35 years. He is the proud father of Andrea and Natalie and enjoys watching them pursue their education and practical learning through their job experiences. When time allows, Larry enjoys hunting and fishing. His desire is to find a cure for ALS.