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If parents pass on mutations in the C9orf72 gene, their children not only develop amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or frontotemporal dementia but do so at an earlier age due to an expansion of the mutation. This finding makes it easier for physicians to determine when to start monitoring an individual carrying a C9orf72…

Two French researchers, Martine Barkats and Maria-Grazia Biferi, are winners of the Avi Kremer ALS Treatment Prize, worth $1 million, for developing a gene therapy approach that shows promise in treating certain types of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Prize4Life announced in a recent press release. The approach targets one of the…

Neuraltus Pharmaceuticals has enrolled 50 of the 120 patients it hopes to obtain for a confirmatory Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating NP001 as a treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Completion of enrollment is expected in mid-2017, with Neuraltus shooting for results in early 2018. Eighteen clinical sites across North…

Researchers have developed a molecule called 123C4 that targets the EphA4 receptor, which is known to contribute to the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to a new study. The paper, “Potent and Selective Epha4 Agonists for the Treatment of ALS,” appeared in the journal Cell Chemical Biology. Its…

Patients with chronic conditions like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are as concerned as the general population about health care costs, but see benefits in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that the healthy may have overlooked, a poll indicates. These findings are reported in a new large-scale poll assessing patient…

Swiss drugmaker GeNeuro has signed an agreement with the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) — part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) — to advance studies of its novel therapeutic antibodies for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Under the Cooperative Research and Development Agreement, GeNeuro will…

Heavy metal pollution may not be as important as previously thought in the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to new research by Italian scientists.

Natural substances that restore intestinal-bacteria balance may help in the treatment of   amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to a study funded by the international Ice Bucket Challenge. Noting that changes in intestinal bacteria contribute to ALS, researchers said using probiotics could restore the balance. The research, “Target Intestinal Microbiota…

A Phase 2 clinical trial, exploring ozanezumab as a treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, failed to show any benefits. The data at hand means the search for treatments that may outperform the only approved ALS medication, riluzole, continues. The study, “Safety and efficacy of ozanezumab in patients with…

ALS patients with complete paralysis can communicate in a limited manner using a computer interface that detects their thoughts based on blood oxygen levels in the brain, according to a new study. Researchers said the method helped these patients say they were happy despite their extreme condition. The study, “Brain-Computer…