Patricia Inácio, PhD,  science writer—

A decline of 25 percent each year in cough peak flow, a test of cough strength and airway clearance, is a predictor of poor survival in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a small study from Japan reports. The study “Cough peak flow decline rate predicts…

Federal healthcare databases, especially Medicare, are a valuable resource in identifying cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in the U.S. population, and may help in tracking the prevalence of other neurological diseases as well, a group of researchers report. The study, “Estimation of the Prevalence of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in…

A new Phase 3 trial evaluating levosimendan (also known as ODM-109), an oral treatment by Orion for breathing problems in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), has recruited its first patients, the Finnish pharmaceutical company announced. The trial, called REFALS (NCT03505021), aims to investigate the potential benefits of prolonged treatment with levosimendan…

Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) show alterations in the activity of their masticatory (jaw) muscles, impairing their ability to chew, according to the results of a small study. The study, “Alterations in the stomatognathic system due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,” was published in the Journal of Applied…

Researchers have developed a personalized, non-invasive model that uses a set of characteristics, easily obtained at diagnosis, to predict survival in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The study with that finding, “Prognosis for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: development and validation of a personalised prediction model,” was published…

The biotech company Kadimastem is recruiting for a Phase 1/2a clinical trial to test the safety and effectiveness of its leading cell therapy, called AstroRx, in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), after positive results were seen in animal models of the disease. The study showed that AstroRx, made…

A high genetic risk for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), assessed using so-called polygenic risk scores,  was linked in a study to poorer performances on verbal and numerical tests in otherwise healthy adults, but not to physical disabilities. The study, “Genetic risk for neurodegenerative disorders, and its overlap with cognitive…

Transplanting engineered neural cells into the brain of an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) animal model delayed disease progression and extended the animals’ survival, a study shows. The study, “Transplantation of Neural Progenitor Cells Expressing Glial Cell Line‐Derived Neurotrophic Factor into the Motor Cortex as a Strategy to Treat Amyotrophic Lateral…

Size matters when it comes to SOD1 protein aggregates found in the brains of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to researchers. They found that large SOD1 aggregates may help protect motor neurons from dying, while short SOD1 aggregates promote the death of motor nerve cells. Their findings support…

Investigational therapy NP001 failed to improve disease severity and pulmonary function in a Phase 2 confirmatory trial for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients with elevated levels of systemic inflammation, Neuraltus Pharmaceuticals announced. The findings, showing the trial failed to meet its primary and secondary goals, were recently shared during the…