Marisa Wexler, MS, senior science writer —

Marisa holds a Master of Science in cellular and molecular pathology from the University of Pittsburgh, where she studied novel genetic drivers of ovarian cancer. Her areas of expertise include cancer biology, immunology, and genetics, and she has worked as a science writing and communications intern for the Genetics Society of America.

Articles by Marisa Wexler

New Deal Helps Move Gene Therapy ET-101 Closer to Clinical Testing

Eikonoklastes Therapeutics and Forge Biologics have announced a new partnership to advance the development of ET-101, an experimental gene therapy for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), toward clinical trial testing. Eikonoklastes acquired the rights to ET-101 from the University of California San Diego earlier this year. Under…

Analyses Support Design of COURAGE-ALS Trial of Reldesemtiv 

The COURAGE-ALS Phase 3 clinical trial, testing Cytokinetic’s experimental therapy reldesemtiv in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is expected to enroll patients who are most likely to benefit from the potential treatment. That’s according to a new analysis of data from an earlier Phase 2 study of reldesemtiv called…

Effector T-cell Levels May Predict Disease Progression, Survival

Higher levels of inflammatory immune cells called effector T-cells at the time of diagnosis are associated with faster disease progression and worse survival among people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a new study indicates. In turn, greater numbers of regulatory T-cells, which work to dampen excessive immune responses, were…

Tofersen to Treat SOD1 ALS Under Review for European Union

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has agreed to review an application seeking the approval of tofersen in treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) caused by mutations in the SOD1 gene, the therapy’s developer, Biogen, reported. “Today’s announcement is an important milestone for the ALS community in Europe where there is a tremendous need…

Results of Phase 3 Trial of TUDCA in Slowing ALS Likely Next Year

An ongoing Phase 3 clinical trial in Europe is testing whether tauroursodeoxycholic acid, added to standard therapy, can slow disease progression and extend survival among people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The oral compound, also known as TUDCA, is one of the two ingredients in Relyvrio (sodium phenylbutyrate…

Study Reveals How Growing Motor Neurons Guide Blood Vessel Growth

An international team of researchers discovered how, during development, motor neurons — the nerve cells controlling movement whose death causes amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) — direct blood vessel growth around them while growing toward target muscles. Specifically, motor neurons were found to secrete a combination of signaling molecules that…

PARADIGM Trial for PrimeC Set to Enroll Soon in US, Italy

NeuroSense Therapeutics has received the go-ahead to begin enrolling patients in the U.S. and Italy for a Phase 2b clinical trial testing PrimeC, the company’s experimental therapy for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The clinical trial, called PARADIGM (NCT05357950), enrolled its first participant in June. The study is…

FDA Declines to Consider Approving NurOwn to Treat ALS

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) notified Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics that it will not accept for review a company application asking that its cell-based therapy NurOwn be approved as a treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The FDA decision, in the form of a refusal to file…