Affiliated Managers Group Gives $20M to Help Establish ALS Research Center

Global asset management company Affiliated Managers Group (AMG) has announced a $20 million matching gift to establish the Healey Center at Massachusetts General Hospital, the goal of which is to accelerate the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) treatments.

With this gift, which will fund over time, the center’s current founding donor commitment exceeds $40 million.

Formally called the Sean M. Healey and AMG Center for ALS, the center also aims to bring innovative trials to the ALS field. In addition, the center will support endowed chairs in neurology and the research of chair incumbents.

What’s more, it will back yearly fellowships for young physician-scientists who focus on better therapies and enhanced patient care. With the hope of luring new investigators worldwide to the ALS field, the center will also issue grants to research groups acting on promising and innovative concepts.

The center’s long-term mission will be honed in part by a scientific advisory committee of medical experts from around the world. The center itself will be made up of a diverse group of researchers, clinicians, project managers, and information technologists at the hospital, working with collaborators around the globe.

“For years, AMG has supported charitable and non-profit organizations around the world where our employees live and work, and we are proud of our ongoing commitment to serving our local communities through philanthropy,” Nathaniel Dalton, AMG president and CEO, said in a press release.

“We hope that this contribution will benefit thousands of ALS patients in the years to come as researchers work to improve treatment outcomes and ultimately find a cure for this devastating disease, and also hope that our gift catalyzes other foundations and individuals to join us in this initiative.”

The center is named for Sean Healey, the chairman of the board at AMG and its former CEO, who lives with ALS, a disease of the nervous system that affects roughly 20,000 Americans.

Merit Cudkowicz, MD, Massachusetts General’s chief of neurology, will head up the center. As far as research goes, she said, the center’s timing is perfect.

“The basic research in ALS has reached the critical point where it can be translated into treatments for people with ALS, and AMG’s impactful gift will immediately be put to work to advance this research,” she said.

“The Healey Center will provide meaningful support to research professionals and dedicated physician-scientists working together to find a cure for ALS and deliver personalized care, and greatly increase access to therapies for people with the disease.”

Since 1993, Massachusetts General has been at the center of ALS research to create breakthroughs, accelerate progress, and increase access to research discoveries. At present, the hospital is leading 70 clinical trials and lab-based research studies.

AMG has equity investments in top-tier boutique investment management firms. Its strategy is to generate shareholder value through affiliate growth. It also assists affiliates in strategic matters.