News

A new program at the University of Pennsylvania will pursue ways to use gene therapy and genome editing to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The Program of Excellence for Motor Neuron Disease, launched by researchers at the Orphan Disease Center (ODC) in the university’s Perelman School of Medicine, will receive…

Measures of respiratory muscle strength among patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) can predict survival, both with and without the need for mechanical ventilation. Studies in which solid objective measures of disease prognosis are still scarce. But, serving as markers of prognosis, these measurements may aid in the development of…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will allow MonoSol Rx to use a new form of its Riluzole therapy, Riluzole Oral Soluble Film (Riluzole OSF), to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) before the agency approves the new therapy. The FDA granted MonoSol Rx’s request that Riluzole OSF receive Investigational New Drug status, which…

AB Science SA‘s anti-inflammation treatment masitinib protects muscles and nerves against damage from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), researchers have concluded. Professor Luis Barbeito of the Institut Pasteur in Montevideo, Uruguay, presented the findings at the 27th International Symposium on ALS/MND (Motor Neuron Disease) in Dublin, Ireland, in December of 2016. Masitinib…

A protein called Nrf2 could clear away harmful miss-folded proteins causing Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases by activating “house keeping” mechanisms in the cells according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

By inserting gene coding for light-sensitive proteins into other cells, researchers have developed a tool for studying the way liquid-like protein structures assemble inside cells. The tool will not only increase understanding of how cells work while healthy, but also contribute to research on diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis…

The pharmaceutical companies Evotec and Celgene will collaborate on a drug discovery and development program to identify and develop novel disease-modifying therapies for several neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The partnership will allow the screening of drug compounds developed by Celgene using Evotec’s platform of induced pluripotent…

Increased excitatory toxic signaling in neurons in the part of the brain controlling movement triggers the breakdown of cells long before any symptoms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are noticed — at least in mice with ALS. The study, “Cortical synaptic and dendritic spine abnormalities in a presymptomatic TDP-43…

Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have a different functional brain network than healthy individuals, and that difference appears to be strongly associated with disability, according to new research. This finding supports previous research suggesting that monitoring a patient’s brain for changes in its neuronal network can aid in evaluating ALS disability and likely disease progression. The study,…

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) will honor Pete Frates, a former university baseball player who has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS),  with its 2017 Inspiration Award for his perseverance, dedication and determination, and for being a role model and source of hope to others. The NCAA Honors Celebration will take place…