News

AB Science has optimized the design of a Phase 3 confirmatory study for mastinib, its oral treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), to avoid any possibility of bias. The optimized protocol for the study (NCT03127267), not yet recruiting, was validated by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Although AB…

In the summer of 2014, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge took social media by storm. Aimed primarily at raising awareness of the disease, the effort resulted in marked increases in spending on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research, an independent study shows. According to the report by…

MediciNova has launched the Phase 2b/3 clinical trial that will explore the potential of ibudilast (MN-166) in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Pending the success of the trial, the collected data will support the submission of a new drug application and the approval of ibudilast…

As part of a series of profiles of people doing great things for their communities, the Obama Foundation has released a video spotlighting the efforts of a patient and his wife who want to reimagine the fight against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The Chicago couple, Brian Wallach…

A diet monitoring app can help amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients to manage their calorie intake in order to maintain or even improve their weight, and achieve better outcomes, results from a clinical trial show. The trial also found that nutritional counseling by a registered dietitian, with or without support…

The enzyme superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) forms clumps inside the cells of some people with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), making them more vulnerable to DNA damage — which may contribute to the neurodegeneration that marks the disease, an early study suggests. In other patients, SOD1 is transported…

Citing research progress and other efforts, the late-stage biopharmaceutical company Cytokinetics has reaffirmed its burgeoning partnership with the ALS Association in its fight against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). For starters, the company is renewing its sponsorship of the association’s national Walk to Defeat ALS fundraisers, as well…

Using a smartphone to collect amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients’ self-reported scores in the ALS-specific functional rating scale revised (ALSFRS-R) is feasible and shows a high correlation to scores collected at clinical sites, a small pilot study shows. The study “Design and results of a smartphone-based digital…

Histamine-related genes are promising disease biomarkers and therapeutic targets to slow amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) progression, a mouse study suggests. The study, “Histaminergic transmission slows progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,” was published in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle. ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder…

Use of statins, the blood cholesterol-lowering medications, for more than a year was linked to a lower risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) among older adults, a large Medicare beneficiaries-based study suggests. The study “Relationship of statins and other cholesterol- lowering medications and risk of amyotrophic lateral…