12/17/2025
A letter from the President of Periodic Paralysis International:
Dear Friend of the Periodic Paralysis Community,
Periodic paralysis is a rare neuromuscular disease where affected patients become variably weak, and often completely paralyzed, in response to various triggers, including food, stress, temperature, and even lights. Attacks can last for hours to days and leave many wheelchair bound in their later years. Research into the causes of periodic paralysis have identified genetic mutations in muscle ion channels as the root cause, but therapies have been lagging. Current therapy can prevent attacks some of the time and resolve an acute attack of paralysis but with considerable difficulty. This leaves the patient vulnerable and can have fatal consequences.
Dr. Steven Cannon and his research team are pioneering various exciting strategies that show promise to make it to the clinic in the coming years. His work is our best hope at finding a cure, or at least, to manage this disease more safely and effectively. His major areas of focus in the current era is CRISPER gene editing that would promise to correct the mutation and erase the disease altogether, designer peptides to interfere selectively with the mutated ion channels allowing for normal muscle function and using genetic mouse models of periodic paralysis to screen existing agents that may hold promise for better safety and efficacy.
His lab cannot pursue all these avenues with the existing funding. Due to NIH cutbacks, some promising projects may have to be put on hold. We cannot let this happen. An investment in Dr. Cannon’s lab is an investment in yourself. If you or your loved ones have periodic paralysis, this is the most important charitable contribution you can make. The time to act is now.
Join us as we unite in this effort with the PPA and PPSN. All contributions are tax-deductible, and 100% will directly support Dr. Cannon’s lab.
Sincerely,
Jacob Levitt, MD
President, PPI
Donation link: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/dr-cannons-research-in-periodic-paralysis
