The evaluation of the pre-clinical work has been developed by a group which has developed recommendations on the use of animal models

in DMD (2) as well as standardised operating procedures for their assessment (in press). 2. Networking for optimal care and delivery of trials As part of the TREAT-NMD project, the network has been working with international groups to generate and disseminate care standards for SMA and DMD. These collaborative projects have led to the SCR7 manufacturer publication Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical of précis of care standards via the TREAT-NMD website in multiple languages. The TREAT-NMD care and trial site network offers a unique opportunity Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical to develop international harmonisation to aid implementation of internationally agreed care standards and disseminate best practice Europe-wide. The Rare Diseases Task Force Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical has noted the substantial national variation in implementation of care through expert centres in European countries and recognises the high added value of collaboration at a European level

to harmonise access to expert care for patients across Europe. One method of implementing this is via the establishing Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical of “European Reference Networks” for rare diseases. The public health ramifications of this Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical strategy

place it beyond TREAT-NMD’s current remit as a translational research network; nonetheless, the infrastructure being established by TREAT-NMD makes it ideally placed to implement such a network for rare inherited neuromuscular disorders. As part of its “trial-readiness” strategy, TREAT-NMD has been creating a registry of clinical sites across Europe (and beyond) which have expertise Sclareol in neuromuscular disease or see neuromuscular patients. As of May 2009, the registry included detailed information on more than 150 clinical trial sites worldwide. In total, these sites can identify over 11,000 neuromuscular patients mapped to a set of diagnostic categories (currently DMD, SMA, CMD and LGMD). Mapping the location, expertise and patient cohorts of these clinical centres is proving key to finding sites capable of running upcoming clinical trials.