Jeremy Casey
When I started working in medical research, I never expected I’d be making a lovely, 80-year-old lady feel like she’s going to fall 10 times a day.
The very first trial I worked on was a Parkinson's disease trial. I was the primary assessor, and I had to do this kind of physical rating scale to test Parkinson's symptoms. I still remember my patients 20 years later, some of their names even, and I know how difficult it was for them.
In one of the tests, I'd have to stand behind these patients – many were elderly, frail and on top of that they had Parkinson’s – and I'd have to gently pull on their shoulders from the back and make them stumble backwards. An adult without Parkinson’s would just take a step back and wouldn’t fall. But people with Parkinson's, they stumble, stutter-step or they just fall backwards completely.
That trial taught me important lessons about the journeys that patients have to take. I know joining a clinical trial is a big ask for many people. And I think they do it out of a mix of altruism for the greater good, but many also hope they may have a benefit themselves, which is not always the case. But from that very first trial I have always been truly grateful for their contribution to science and progressing our work.
When I was an undergrad, I toyed with the idea of going into medical school for a while, and I was really interested in emergency medicine. But I was drawn to the scientific method part of understanding a research question and the testing and the control aspect of research methodology.
I ended up studying psychology at UCLA. And then straight out of college, I found an entry level coordinator position at a research site on Craigslist, of all places.
Today, I head up clinical operations for the cardiovascular and renal therapeutic area within Research & Development at CSL. Our biggest trial is CSL 300, which is a drug candidate currently in a Phase 3 global trial to investigate whether it reduces the chances of cardiovascular outcomes like heart attack in end stage kidney disease patients, which is the number one cause of death for these patients
These are sick patients, right. They're coming in to have dialysis three times a week. They often have significant comorbidities: Diabetes, obesity, or other organ failures. So it's a pretty difficult life for these patients. Unfortunately, so many of them die from a heart attack before they have a chance to receive a kidney transplant. Right now, CSL 300 is the only drug candidate being investigated for the potential reduction of heart attacks in end stage kidney disease patients.
Research trials are challenging work. But it suits me because I'm very curious. I love the science. And I love being able to do difficult things and try to overcome those challenges.
When you think back on your life, there's these forks where you if you'd chosen one path, your life would be in a completely different place. So I feel a lot of gratitude that it’s all worked out in in a way that I've been able to make an impact.
About CSL 300
CSL 300 is an investigational medicine being trialled for the reduction of cardiovascular event risks in patients with end-stage kidney disease, where the risk of cardiovascular morbidity & mortality is increased.
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