Marisa Wexler, MS,  senior science writer—

A new genetic risk score that takes hundreds of different genetic variations into account may help predict who’s most likely to develop amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The score needs to be validated in future studies before being used in the clinic, but could be important to stratify people according…

Work into developing molecules that block microRNA-155 (miR-155) as potential treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has advanced to the stage of testing candidate molecules in animal models of the disease. Initiated last year, the miR-155 project is a collaboration between scientists at Regulus Therapeutics and Brigham…

A messenger RNA (mRNA) molecule that provides the instructions for a protein involved in glutamate signaling is not edited as efficiently in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients as in people without the neurological disorder, according to a new study suggesting its potential use as an ALS biomarker. Glutamate is…

Allopurinol and carvedilol, two medications respectively used to manage gout and high blood pressure, significantly reduce the chances of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer’s, or Parkinson’s disease, a new study suggests. “These findings suggest a possible new direction for repurposing or developing medications for neuroprotection,” Brad…

A sizable portion of people with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) carry a genetic mutation known to cause other neurological disorders, a new study shows. “This suggests shared risk factors among these diseases, shared mechanisms that cause nerves to die – and perhaps shared therapeutic strategies in the future,”…

An early clinical trial is testing whether fecal microbiota transplants (FMT) — a procedure that aims to introduce healthy bacteria to the digestive tract — might reduce inflammation among people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). “With this information, we could potentially provide new approaches for treatments by altering or…

Radicava (edaravone) significantly prolongs long-term survival for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to an analysis of nearly 3,000 patients. It didn’t significantly slow the progression of disease symptoms, as assessed by scores on the ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R), however. The results were presented at last…

It’s been nearly three years since the HEALEY platform clinical trial started and, so far, two promising experimental treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have been identified. Both potential medications — CNM-Au8 and pridopidine — are headed toward Phase 3 clinical testing, while testing has been ruled…

Treatment with the investigational therapy DNL343 was generally well-tolerated among people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in an early clinical trial, and biomarker data from the trial suggest that the therapy is working as intended. Results were presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN),…

Cold temperatures can activate a complex called the proteasome that cells use to clear themselves of unneeded proteins, including the protein clumps associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a new study reports. In cell models of the disease, exposure to cold temperatures for a prolonged time significantly lowered the…