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Systemic Scleroderma is an autoimmune disorder that affects the skin and internal organs. It is characterized by the buildup of scar tissue (fibrosis) in the skin and other organs. The fibrosis is caused by the body's production of too much collagen, which normally strengthens and supports connective tissues. The symptoms usually begin with episodes of Raynaud's phenomenon. This may be followed by puffy or swollen hands before the skin becomes thickened and hard. The fibrosis can also affect internal organs, including the esophagus, heart, lungs, and kidneys.

Unfortunately, there is a high mortality associated with this disease and the key factors are:

-Pulmonary fibrosis

-Cardiac fibrosis

Systemic Scleroderma is considered an orphan disease with a prevalence of:

-100,000-US

-180,000-EU

- Currently there are no approved treatments f0r Systemic Scleroderma and new therapeutic alternatives are desperately needed.

Neurodegenerative diseases affect millions of people worldwide. Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease are the most common neurodegenerative diseases. In the United States, as many as 6.2 million people may have Alzheimer’s disease, according to a report from the Alzheimer's Disease Association in 2022.

Nearly a million Americans are living with Parkinson’s disease, according to the Parkinson’s Foundation. Neurodegenerative diseases occur when nerve cells in the brain or peripheral nervous system lose function over time and ultimately die. The likelihood of developing a neurodegenerative disease rises dramatically with age. In the coming decades, more Americans may be affected by neurodegenerative diseases, especially as life expectancy increases.

Scientists recognize that the combination of a person’s genes, and environment contributes to their risk of developing a neurodegenerative disease. For example, someone might have a gene that makes them more susceptible to Parkinson’s disease, but their environmental exposures can affect whether, when, and how severely they are affected.

We must improve our understanding of what causes neurodegenerative diseases and develop new approaches for treatment and prevention.

The American Cancer Society’s estimates for melanoma in the United States for 2022 are:

-99,780 new melanomas will be diagnosed The rates of

melanoma have been rising rapidly over the past few decades, -7,650 people are expected to die of melanoma in the US

annually

The most prevalent melanoma mutation is BRAF(V600E), which constitutively activates downstream MAPK signaling.

Vemurafenib has remarkable clinical activity in BRAF(V600E)-positive melanoma tumors. However, patients often rapidly develop resistance to vemurafenib treatment and new treatments are desperately needed.