July 17, 2016: Thank you kindly for everyone's support. If you're interested in donating further, please visit https://riderinstitute.org/pages/donate. Thank you!
UPDATE -June 5, 2016: We have raised over $20,000! Please support our current campaign at
UPDATE - May 3,2016: We have launched our second campaign on IndieGoGo! https://igg.me/at/EndTheVirus
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UPDATE - March 31,2016: We will launch another crowdfunding campaign soon!
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DRACOs (Double-stranded RNA Activated Caspase Oligomerizers) are broad-spectrum antiviral candidates developed by Dr. Todd Rider. They have proved safe and effective in treating ALL 18 viruses against which Dr. Rider has tested them in proof-of-concept work. Two different types of H1N1 influenza (flu), four types of rhinovirus (the common cold), two adenoviruses, dengue hemorrhagic fever, and others were among the 18 viruses that DRACOs have successfully treated in human and animal cells and in mice.
Check out the published results in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS ONE.
We are now raising funds to test and optimize DRACOs against the herpesvirus family, which contains many major clinical viruses such as Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV-1), Herpes Simplex Virus 2 (HSV-2), Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV, chickenpox and shingles virus), Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), and Kaposi's Sarcoma Herpesvirus (KSHV). Depending on funds, we also hope to test and optimize DRACOs against the family of retroviruses, which includes Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Human T-Lymphotropic Virus (HTLV). In principle, the DRACO approach should be effective against virtually all known viruses, or potentially even against new viruses that may appear.
Join the movement to #EndTheVirus! Donate and spread the word -- We need this to go viral!
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Previously published on:
Dr. Rider’s DRACO approach and results have been called “visionary” by the White House (National Bioeconomy Blueprint, April 2012, p. 9), named one of the best inventions of the year by Time magazine (November 28, 2011, pp. 58, 78), and featured on the BBC Horizons TV program (2013).
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Dr. Todd Rider invented DRACOs (Double-stranded RNA Activated Caspase Oligomerizers) at MIT. DRACOs are novel broad-spectrum antiviral drugs that have the potential to revolutionize the treatment and prevention of virtually ALL viral diseases. So far, DRACOs have successfully treated 18 viruses in laboratory tests. DRACOs have proved effective against rhinovirus (the common cold), H1N1 influenza (flu), dengue hemorrhagic fever virus, and more.
With more research, DRACOs may be able to Treat ALL VIRUSES and:
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A DRACO has already proved effective against rhinoviruses (common cold) and H1N1 Influenza (Swine Flu) in mice and human cell tests!
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(i.e; Ebola, Avian Influenza (bird flu), SARS, MERS, etc.)
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End the suffering and save the lives of those with incurable viruses (i.e; HIV/ Aids, HSV (cold sores and genital herpes), herpes zoster virus (chickenpox/shingles), HTLV, HPV, etc...)
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However, research on DRACOs has entered the well-known “Valley of Death”(Source: NY Times), in which a lack of funding prevents DRACOs, and many other promising new drugs, from advancing toward human clinical trials.
DRACOs may end suffering and save the lives of those struggling with any number of viruses. The development of antibiotics revolutionized the treatment and prevention of bacterial infections in the mid-20th century.
With your help, we can bypass the Valley of Death and revolutionize the Treatment of Viral Disease.
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By the process of efficiently eliminating only virus-infected cells, DRACOs may be able to permanently cure viral infections that can currently only be controlled.
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When tested in human and animal cells, DRACOs have been nontoxic and effective against 18 different viruses, including rhinovirus (the common cold) and dengue hemorrhagic fever (see table below that outlines 15/18 of the viruses. The additional 3 viruses were coronaviruses).
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For more information on the results of previous DRACO experiments, see the article published in PLOS ONE.
Still looking for more explanation? Check out this great video!
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The ultimate goal is to develop DRACOs as a cure for virtually all viruses. But in order for that to happen, we'll need the following:
Lab Space
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UMass Lowell is an option that is available for us.
Equipment
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Continued Research and Progression of Trials
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All money goes to 501(c)(3) non-profit, SENS Research Foundation, and so all donations are Tax-Deductible.
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Currently, DRACOs are in the Valley of Death--the financial and experimental gap between the previously funded National Institutes of Health (NIH) proof of concept experiments and the threshold for convincing major pharmaceutical companies to advance DRACOs toward human trials. This campaign has been set up to raise the funding necessary to bridge that gap. With your assistance, we hope to raise enough funding to test and optimize DRACOs against clinically relevant viruses in human cells. If successful, the results of those experiments should persuade pharmaceutical companies and other major sponsors to commit their own resources to advance DRACOs through large-scale animal trials and hopefully human trials. Without your assistance, DRACOs may never progress further, and their potential to revolutionize the treatment of viral infections may remain unfulfilled.
85% of your donation, less the $0.30 credit card fee on each transaction and overhead costs, will go directly to DRACOs research!
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Dr.Todd H. Rider
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Dr. Todd H. Rider studied both biomedicine and engineering at MIT, including coursework at Harvard Medical School, and has spent his career inventing novel biotechnology projects by combining molecular and cellular biology tools with a systems engineering approach. After receiving his Ph.D. from MIT, he worked at Aeiveos Corporation on in vitro experiments to test and potentially intervene in the molecular mechanisms of human aging. In 1997 he joined MIT Lincoln Laboratory and the MIT Center for Cancer Research and invented the CANARY biosensor, which uses genetically engineered lymphocytes to identify pathogens within seconds with very high accuracy and sensitivity. He engineered and demonstrated the first CANARY cell lines, as reported in his widely publicized 2003 Science paper. Dr. Rider invented the DRACO antiviral approach, designed the therapeutics and experiments, personally conducted many of the in vitro and in vivo experiments, and recruited and supervised a team in carrying out the rest. His DRACO research has been called “visionary” by the White House (National Bioeconomy Blueprint, April 2012, p. 9), named one of the best inventions of the year by Time magazine (November 28, 2011, pp. 58, 78), and featured on the BBC Horizons TV program (2013). He has also invented additional PANACEA anti-pathogen therapeutics, novel high-energy biofuel cells, and other projects. Along the way, Dr. Rider founded and runs the Science on Saturday program and other K-12 science outreach programs at MIT.
The Marketing Team
Behind the scenes we have been lucky to have the assistance of several marketing professionals and volunteers.
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Moto 9
Timeline: How Long is it Going to Take?
The drug approval process is unfortunately long and complicated. What we know is that 4 years (or less depending on funding) will be enough for Dr.Rider to test and collect enough data on clinically relevant herpes viruses that could be used to engage a big pharma company to take DRACOs to human clinical trials!
The chart below shows the duration of the drug evaluation process. Generally drugs can be prescribed after the FDA review.
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Risks & Challenges. The greatest challenge has been securing funding to help DRACO research progress. It is also important to note that while DRACO is based on sound scientific principles and has yielded promising experimental results thus far, the science of life can be very complex and we can offer no guarantee that DRACO research will end with a pill in a bottle for everyone. Without your help, though, we may never find out.
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This is your chance, so please donate! You can help to advance the development of a therapeutic that may be effective against almost any viral infection. So please, choose to help push research forward by making a donation.
Other Ways You Can Help:
Not able to make a donation? --That's okay. If you believe in our mission you can still help by spreading the word on your social media.
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Copy and paste to Tweet and post on your Facebook!
Join in to #EndTheVirus with @killingsickness http://igg.me/at/EndTheVirus
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