Iplex and ‘Compassion’

Last year, the F.D.A. fielded more than 500 requests from seriously ill patients who wanted to be treated on a “compassionate use” basis with drugs that had not been approved by the agency, a figure that patient advocates say represents a small fraction of the demand.

Joshua Thompson sought Iplex, a drug based on a hormone, IGF-1, which has been shown to prolong the lives of mice with A.L.S. In studies, the hormone alone was shown to have no effect on humans with A.L.S., but Iplex incorporates a carrier protein that is thought to deliver the drug more effectively into nerve cells.

Casey Templeton for The New York Times