KAIST’s neuroscientist and professor, Dr. Daesoo Kim attended the “Conference for Musicians with Dystonia” supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Carnegie Hall live performance of legendary pianist João Carlos Martins, who can also be a dystonia affected person, to announce his crew’s current developments towards discovering a remedy for dystonia.
On November 19, 2022, a “miracle live performance” was held in Carnegie Hall. João Carlos Martins was a famend world-class pianist within the 70s and 80s, however he needed to put an finish to his musical profession as a consequence of focal dystonia in his fingers. But in 2020, he started utilizing a bionic glove developed by industrial designer Ubiratã Bizarro Costa and after years of arduous work he was again in Carnegie Hall as an 82-year-old man.
During the live performance, he performed the NOVUS NY orchestra in a efficiency of Bach, and later even performed the piano himself. In specific, between his performances, he gave shout-outs to scientists learning dystonia together with KAIST Professor Daesoo Kim, asking them to proceed working in direction of curing uncommon ailments for musicians.
Musician’s dystonia impacts 1-3% of musicians world wide and musicians make up roughly 5% of the overall variety of dystonia sufferers. Musicians who’re now not in a position to apply music as a result of illness typically expertise stress and despair, which can even result in suicide in excessive instances. Musicians are identified to be notably susceptible to such ailments as a consequence of extreme apply regimens, perfectionism, and even genetics. Currently, botulinum toxin (Botox) is used to suppress irregular muscle groups, however muscle operate suppression in the end implies that the musician is now not in a position to play the instrument. João Carlos Martins himself underwent a number of Botox procedures and three mind surgical procedures, however noticed no therapeutic outcomes. This is why a brand new therapy was essential.
Professor Daesoo Kim’s analysis crew at KAIST took be aware of the truth that irregular muscle rigidity is attributable to extreme stress, and developed NT-1, a therapy that blocks the event of the signs of dystonia from the mind, permitting sufferers to make use of their muscle groups as they usually would. The analysis crew printed their findings in Science Advances in 2021, and João Carlos Martins invited Professor Daesoo Kim to the UN convention and his live performance after studying this paper.
During the UN convention held the day previous to the Carnegie Hall live performance, Dr. Dévora Kestel, Director of the Mental Health and Substance Use at WHO, stated, “Although dystonia will not be as well-known, it’s a frequent illness world wide, and desires our society’s consideration and the devotion of many researchers.”
NT-1 is a drug that blocks the reason for dystonia within the mind, and can permit musicians to proceed working towards music. We purpose to achieve medical approval in Korea by 2024.”
Dr. Daesoo Kim, Professor, KAIST
NT-1 is presently underneath improvement by NeuroTobe, a faculty-led start-up firm at KAIST, headed by Professor Daesoo Kim because the CEO. The synthesis of the drug for medical testing has been efficiently accomplished, and it has proven glorious efficacy and security by means of varied rounds of animal testing. Unlike Botox, which takes a number of days to indicate its therapeutic results after receiving the process from a hospital, NT-1 exhibits its therapeutic results inside an hour after taking it. As a so-called “edible Botox”, it’s anticipated to assist deal with varied muscular ailments and illnesses.