Roskamp announces new clinic for Alzheimer’s treatment

Within a few months, scientists at the Manatee Countybased Roskamp Institute plan to start administering a new drug to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

While not a cure, Leqembi, an FDA-approved Alzheimer’s drug, has been shown to slow the rate of decline in patients. Alzheimer’s is a common form of dementia that progressively worsens a patient’s memory, thinking and language ability.

Clinical trials showed a significantly lower rate of decline for patients receiving Leqembi than patients receiving a placebo.

On Wednesday, Dr. Fiona Crawford, president and CEO of Roskamp Institute, 2040 Whitfield Ave., announced a $9 million campaign for a 10,000square-foot expansion of the campus to host the infusion clinic and other programs.

But the launch of the infusion program won’t be delayed because of fundraising efforts.

Infusions could start by late summer and groundbreaking for the expanded facilities could come later this year. Completion should be within two years of the start of construction, Crawford said.

ROSKAMP INSTITUTE PLANS EXPANSION

The Bishop-Parker Foundation provided a $1.5 million grant to the Roskamp capital campaign. A $100,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota and donations from the Roskamp family and friends helped push the total collected to more than $4 million, Crawford said.

The capital campaign will help Roskamp update and expand its research laboratory and clinical facilities and ramp up its research efforts, she said.

Roskamp’s planned BishopParker Clinic will enable Roskamp to assess, treat and support more than 10,000 patients a year, Wendy Deming, CEO of the Bishop-Parker Foundation, said Wednesday.

“Today is about celebrating the collaborative spirit and tireless dedication of everyone involved in this initiative. It’s about honoring the individuals and families impacted by these disorders and reaffirming our unwavering commitment to supporting them on this journey, Deming said.