The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated  MediciNova’s Ibudilast (MN-166) an orphan drug as a potential treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Ibudilast is a first-in-class, orally bioavailable small molecule phosphodiesterase (PDE)-4 and -10 inhibitor and a macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) inhibitor that suppresses pro-inflammatory cytokines and promotes neurotrophic factors.
An analysis of previously published data suggests that neurofilaments in the blood and spinal fluid of people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may be used to assess disease progression and neurodegeneration in general. Levels of the factor also were higher in ALS patients than in patients with diseases mimicking ALS,…
Augie’s Quest announced the 11th annual ‘Tradition of Hope’ gala event will be held Oct. 15 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel to raise funds for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research. Augie’s Quest is a cure-driven nonprofit effort dedicated to finding treatments and a cure for ALS. The effort…
AB Science has been invited to present new preclinical studies on masitinib in the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at four international meetings this year. These were the main findings from the series of preclinical studies: Proof of concept data from the preclinical trials of masitinib showed that the investigational drug “targets…
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) would benefit from a new classification system, according to a group of researchers who highlighted the shortcomings of current systems for diagnosing the disease and allocating patients to subtypes of the condition. The opinion article, “Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: moving towards a new classification…
Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) who have progressed to a stage in which they’ve lost all voluntary movements, including the ability to communicate, have damage in numerous brain regions and isn’t limited to motor neurons. The study, “Clinicopathological characteristics of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis resulting in…
Researchers have identified a factor that prevents SOD1 — a protein causing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in a proportion of patients — from misfolding. The finding may advance the development of new drug therapies to stop or slow progression of the disease. The study, “Endogenous macrophage migration inhibitory factor reduces the…
The presence of a certain type of proteins of the immune system in the blood may serve as a reliable biomarker for the diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), as well as the severity of the disease, according to a new study conducted by Japanese and American researchers. The study,…
Researchers at Trinity College Dublin will head to Latin America to investigate whether the probability of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is reduced in people with mixed ancestry. This new project will examine the hypothesis that mixed ancestral backgrounds might protect a person from developing ALS. Researchers will set up new…
Researchers report that evaluating a person’s control of tongue movement during speech can help to diagnose bulbar disease, especially in its early stages, in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ALS affects motor neurons in the brain, brainstem, and spinal cord. If patients show alterations in speech or swallowing abilities they are…
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