News

Target ALS Selects Biorepository for Human Stem Cell Lines

Target ALS Foundation, focused on finding new treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), has selected RUCDR Infinite Biologics as the biorepository for banking and distributing the foundation’s human stem cell lines to be used in industry and research. The privately funded non-profit institution, funds consortia-based collaborative projects that aim to decrease obstacles…

Neurodegenerative Diseases May Be Prevented by Autophagy Assisting Plant Compounds

Researchers at the University of Occupational and Environmental Health in Japan, reviewed advances for using natural plant compounds to regulate autophagy, a process in the development of many neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, muscular atrophies, spinocerebellar ataxia 3, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The review “Natural compounds preventing…

Researchers Say Earlier ALS Diagnosis Shows Promise with Cutting-Edge Imaging, Neurophysiology Techniques

Researchers reviewed both current and emerging technical approaches that show the most promise in the detection of upper motor neuron (UMN) degeneration of ALS patients. By assessing and comparing the utility of cutting-edge imaging and electrophysiological approaches, researchers hope to identify biomarkers for UMN dysfunction that can serve as early diagnostics for…

‘Die Trying’ – Friday’s VICE Episode on HBO to Address ALS

“Die Trying”, this Friday’s episode of HBO’s edgy half-hour newsmagazine series VICE, is about ALS and hosted by the show’s Senior Associate Editor Angelina Fanous who is battling the disease. A preview trailer can be viewed at: https://als.vice.com/. Living with ALS, Egyptian-born Fanous is now focusing on…

Research Points to Neurodegenerative Consequences, Such as ALS, of Toxoplasma Gondii Infection

Researchers at the University of California-Riverside have shown, for the first time, that infection from the common parasite Toxoplasma gondii disrupts neurotransmitter glutamate function in the brain, potentially leading to neuronal death and neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), in individuals predisposed to such conditions. The research paper, “…

Cerebrospinal Fluid of ALS Patients Has Reduced Levels of Anti-Inflammatory Protein, Revealing Potential New Therapeutic Target

Researchers from the Institute of Drug Research at the The Hebrew University in Israel have revealed that patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have low levels of the anti-inflammatory protein alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) in their cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The findings have been published in the Journal of Neuroinflammation in the study…

EMA Recommends Filing for Masitinib Conditional Marketing Authorization to Treat ALS

Rapporteurs appointed by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) have recommended that AB Science SA’s combined treatment ‘masitinib with riluzole’ in the treatment of adults with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) should be filed for conditional marketing authorization. AB Science specializes in developing and marketing protein kinase inhibitors (PKIs), a class of targeted proteins…