Treatment development program: the National Alopecia Areata Foundation's initiative for achieving safe and effective therapies.

Founded in 1981, the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF) is dedicated to research to find a cure or acceptable treatment for alopecia areata (AA), to develop support for people affected by the disease, and to educate the public about it. NAAF has developed into an international organization advancing patient interests in a number of ways. Beginning in 2008, NAAF organized a series of research summits that focused AA research investments into genetic, molecular, and immunological investigations as well as laying the groundwork for clinical trials and support for regulatory evaluation of prospectively available treatments. This multifaceted initiative is called the Alopecia Areata Treatment Development Program (TDP). It is representative of initiatives among voluntary patient advocacy organizations to partner with academic, clinical, government, and biotechnology interests to accelerate the development and approval of treatments for understudied diseases. The article describes key steps in the development of TDP, its progress, and future direction.