News

Biogen has decided to exercise its option to acquire from Ionis Pharmaceuticals the exclusive rights to develop and commercialize BIIB067 as a potential treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The decision to license the investigational therapy is covered under the terms of a collaborative agreement between the two companies…

Global asset management company Affiliated Managers Group (AMG) has announced a $20 million matching gift to establish the Healey Center at Massachusetts General Hospital, the goal of which is to accelerate the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) treatments. With this gift, which will fund over time,…

Depression and anxiety in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients, even at low levels, are linked and should be addressed together, a study reports. Moreover, according to the study, support to caregivers is essential as the patient-caregiver relationship is of key importance in coping with ALS. The study, “Death…

A natural compound found in certain fruits and vegetables, called resveratrol, may help boost the ability of mesenchymal stem cells taken from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients to transform into mature nerve cells, researchers in Korea report. This finding, detailed in a study published in the Journal of Tissue…

Anelixis Therapeutics has begun dosing patients in the first human trial of its amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) treatment candidate, AT-1501, the company announced. The trial is currently enrolling both healthy volunteers and eight ALS patients to test AT-1501’s safety and tolerability. Researchers will also examine how the agent behaves…

An experimental gene therapy based on RNA interference (RNAi) shows potential to treat patients with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) caused by mutations in the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) gene, according to results of a preclinical study in nonhuman primates. The study, “Safe and effective superoxide…

Cytokinetics has completed patient enrollment in its Phase 2 trial to evaluate the safety and potential of reldesemtiv to improve muscle function in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the company announced. The trial (NCT03160898), called FORTITUDE-ALS, includes about 450 ALS patients in the U.S., Canada, Europe,…

The amount of time it takes to diagnose amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and the use of Rilutek (riluzole) to treat it vary significantly across Canada, according to a new nationwide analysis of a patient registry. These findings highlight the need for future studies to identify the factors that contribute…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for review the new drug application (NDA) of Biohaven Pharmaceuticals’ BHV-0223, a sublingual (dissolved under the tongue) form of riluzole, as a treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Biohaven has begun enrollment of ALS patients for its Phase 2/3…

The brain’s waste clearance pathway, known as the glymphatic system, could enable more efficient delivery of therapeutics into the brain for the treatment of disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and brain cancer, according to a study. The study, “Transcranial optical…