News

Repurposed vet drug helps ALS patients live longer: Study

A veterinary medication repurposed as a treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) helped patients live longer and slowed disease progression in a long-term clinical trial. The drug, NUZ-001 from Neurizon Therapeutics, was generally safe and well tolerated in the open-label extension (NCT06177431) study, which tested the treatment in…

ALS gene therapy prepares to move to clinical trials in China, US

China’s National Medical Products Administration has granted Sineugene Therapeutics permission to begin clinical trials of its gene therapy SNUG01 in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), clearing the way for clinical trials. The announcement follows a similar decision by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It sets…

Scientists reverse cell aging in mice, delaying ALS onset

Genetically reprogramming nerve cells to reverse aging may be a viable strategy for treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a mouse study showed. Researchers found that a gene therapy made the mice’s nerve cells younger and more resilient, which delayed the onset of ALS symptoms. “Our hope is that this…

Research sheds new light on ALS gene mutation

Researchers at Yale School of Medicine said they’ve solved a longstanding mystery of how mutations in the C9ORF72 gene, a common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), may lead to toxic proteins. The findings suggest a new approach that could lead to the development of targeted therapies, the researchers…

Exposure to air pollutant sulfur dioxide tied to greater ALS risk

Long-term exposure to sulfur dioxide (SO2), a gaseous air pollutant generated by the burning of fossil fuels, significantly increases the risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to a study in Canada. Exposure to other forms of air pollution, including nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ground-level ozone (O3), and PM2.5…

Wearable robot gives ALS patients a hand

A wearable robot that detects small arm motions and helps support the shoulder can make it easier for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients to pick up and carry things, a study showed. ALS is a neurological disorder that causes progressive muscle weakness and eventual paralysis. Weak limbs make many…