News

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, in California, has been awarded an $11.99 million grant to support a clinical trial that will test specifically engineered neural progenitor cells as a potential therapy for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The work, funded by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, or CIRM, will build…

In a response letter to The ALS Association, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recognized the unmet therapeutic need of people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and reaffirmed its commitment to the 2019 ALS clinical trial guidance. However, the agency did not provide any details about how it…

Largely due to going virtual this year, the annual HayesDavidson 5K (HD5K) charity run met its goal of raising £40,000 (nearly $56,000) for the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association. The event previously was held in Hyde Park in London. However, the switch to the digital format enabled more…

Mutations in the FUS gene, a common cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), impair the regeneration and growth of motor neuron extensions toward muscle cells, according to a study using a new miniaturized human model of neuron-muscle interactions. These deficits, along with the reduced number of nerve-motor connections, were lessened by blocking…

Most unpaid caregivers in the U.K. have not had any breaks from their caregiving role during the COVID-19 pandemic, with nearly three-quarters reporting feeling exhausted, stressed, and anxious, according to a survey of more than 2,800 caregivers conducted by Carers UK. During the pandemic, carers lost a mean…

To help patient advocacy leaders and their partners better understand how global health statistics codes — known as ICD codes — are assigned, updated, and revised in the U.S. health information system, the EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases is presenting a first-of-its-kind resource guide. The foundation created the…

A gay 39-year-old entrepreneur from Mexico and a retired Jewish football player-turned-bank-CEO in the early stages of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) come from different places and are in different stages of life. But through art, Octavio Molina and Ken Brenner have become fast friends, discussing life at its deepest…

Those who wish to gain practical tools for living optimally with rare diseases are encouraged to attend the annual Living Rare Living Stronger Patient and Family Forum, hosted by the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) and set this year for June 26-27. The conference brings together patients,…

CRISPR Therapeutics and Capsida Biotherapeutics have partnered to develop gene-editing therapies for familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Friedreich’s ataxia. Capsida specializes in designing virus-based means of delivering therapies to specific cells, while CRISPR’s expertise lies in gene-editing technology, particularly the CRISPR gene-editing system. “Bringing together…

Clene and its subsidiary Clene Nanomedicine are negotiating to increase their manufacturing capacity as they prepare to release findings — expected early next year — from a pivotal and enrolling Phase 3 trial of CNM-Au8 as an oral therapy aiming to slow amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) progression. Negotiations include the…