When I was diagnosed with ALS in 2010, my doctor told me there was one medication available to help slow the progression of the symptoms. But there was no cure. I left her office with a prescription for Rilutek (riluzole), the first treatment…
The ALS Association Golden West Chapter has honored Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America (MTPA) with its Essey Commitment to Cures award for advancing research and trials into treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other efforts. The presentation took place Nov. 15 in San Francisco at the 2019 Champions…
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is highly prevalent among young U.S. war veterans deployed post-9/11, particularly Air Force personnel, tactical operation officers, and health care workers, a recent study suggests. The findings suggest that there is an early onset of ALS among deployed military service members, the researchers said. Titled…
Aquestive Therapeutics has granted a development and commercialization license to Zambon Pharma for its investigational oral film formulation of riluzole as a treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in the European Union (EU). Under the terms of the agreement, Zambon will be…
I went parasailing during a vacation in Florida 10 years ago. I talked my brother into going with me, because my husband, Todd, wasn’t feeling up to it at the time. He had a weak left arm, but we didn’t know then that he had ALS.
Small molecule inhibitors that block the activity of SARM1 — an enzyme that plays a key role in nerve cell degeneration — prevent the degeneration of axons in mice and cellular models of disease, a preclinical study has found. These findings may be the first steps towards the development…
Rare disease-themed videos glowed on a large screen before an audience of people in wheelchairs, with crutches, and bearing oxygen tanks this Nov. 9 and 10 in San Francisco. Disorder: The Rare Disease Film Festival strives to eventually host a film about every one of the nearly 7,000 rare…
In Mark Twain’s book, “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court,” the protagonist, Hank Morgan, is ridiculed during a roundtable assemblage for his strange appearance and dress. He is subsequently sentenced to burn at the stake. Except for…
The non-invasive delivery of ultrasound waves in a controlled, targeted manner can be safely used to open the blood-brain barrier in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), giving temporary access to their motor cortex, results from a first-in-human trial show. The approach — called magnetic resonance guided…
I’m always pleased to read news of advancements in health and wellness for those of us living with ALS. But one statement always makes me laugh out loud: ALS patients shouldn’t exercise because they need to save their energy. More than 10 years of published research on exercise and…
