Alice Melão,  —

Exploratory analysis of data collected in the FORTITUDE-ALS and VITALITY-ALS trials sponsored by Cytokinetics provide new insights to enhance the design of future clinical trials in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). These findings were discussed at the 29th International Symposium on ALS/MND in Glasgow, Scotland, in several poster…

The majority of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) report wanting new treatments to stop their disease’s progression and so improve breathing function, muscle strength, and mobility, according to the results from a self-reported online survey of ALS patients and caregivers. These findings may help define future guidelines for the development…

Sexuality and intimacy are important aspects of one’s life that are also affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to a review study. It is important that clinicians and healthcare practitioners provide suitable support to ALS patients to cover these issues, as they can also affect patients’ overall well-being and…

Biogen has decided to exercise its option to acquire from Ionis Pharmaceuticals the exclusive rights to develop and commercialize BIIB067 as a potential treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The decision to license the investigational therapy is covered under the terms of a collaborative agreement between the two companies…

A natural compound found in certain fruits and vegetables, called resveratrol, may help boost the ability of mesenchymal stem cells taken from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients to transform into mature nerve cells, researchers in Korea report. This finding, detailed in a study published in the Journal of Tissue…

Cytokinetics has completed patient enrollment in its Phase 2 trial to evaluate the safety and potential of reldesemtiv to improve muscle function in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the company announced. The trial (NCT03160898), called FORTITUDE-ALS, includes about 450 ALS patients in the U.S., Canada, Europe,…

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) patients with the C9ORF72 mutation are at an unusually high risk of malignant skin cancer and should be monitored for it, a study suggests. The study, “Increased risk of melanoma in C9ORF72…

Health conditions that may lead to a faster metabolism, or higher metabolic rate, may contribute to the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a large-scale, population-based study suggests. The study, “Finding diseases associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a total population-based case–control study,” was published in the…

Specific proteins analyzed in cerebral spinal fluid and blood samples may help to diagnose amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and predict patient outcomes, researchers report. Cerebral spinal fluid (CFS) protein patterns helped to identify 94% of ALS patients in their study, and the levels of three specific proteins were seen to…

Inhibition of the SARM1 gene can prevent the degeneration of nerve cells in the central, ocular, and peripheral nervous system in mice, results from preclinical studies show. These findings provide evidence for the use of small-molecule inhibitors of the SARM1 protein being developed by Disarm Therapeutics as potential disease-modifying therapeutics for…