Rescuing Levels of STMN2 May Be Potential New Therapy For ALS, Harvard Study Suggests

Harvard neuroscientists have discovered how the TDP-43 protein — previously linked to sporadic and inherited amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) cases — reduces the levels of a second player, called stathmin2 (STMN2) — which is necessary for neuron growth and regeneration — making the STMN2 gene a potential new therapeutic target. The study, “…

Treatment with ultra-high-dose methylcobalamin, the physiologically active form of vitamin B12, may improve the prognosis of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) who receive it a year or less after symptom onset, a…

It’s complicated. That trite, two-word sentence has become, in the age of social media, the go-to characterization of any couple whose pairing defies analysis. In the best case, after a period in which their union damages one (or both) of them, the parties agree to go their separate…

A $300,000 grant from the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) will back AcuraStem’s preclinical development of an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patient-derived stem cell therapy that has the potential to treat a wide range of ALS patients. The grant will allow the biotechnology company AcuraStem to begin proof-of-concept studies of its…

Yup, it’s that time of year again — lag time! We’re in that weird space in time that’s just after all the holiday hoopla and before the “next big thing” comes along. It’s a time to catch up, reflect, and take a well-earned breather. And for those of…

The rate of weight loss from onset to diagnosis can be a significant indicator of poorer outcomes among amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients, a study reports. The study, “Early weight loss in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: outcome relevance and clinical correlates in a population-based cohort,” was published in the…

A human-derived antibody that specifically binds to abnormal superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) improved the symptoms and delayed disease progression in a mouse model for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a study shows. The antibody, alpha-miSOD1, could be further developed as a candidate treatment for ALS caused by SOD1 misfolding. The study titled…

In addition to symptoms of depression, disease progression is one of the strongest influences on health-related quality of life in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients, a study reports. According to the study, titled Disease progression impacts health-related quality of life in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,” slower disease progression is linked to…

CuATSM, one of the lead investigational therapies of Collaborative Medicinal Development (CMD), may slow disease progression and improve the respiratory and cognitive function of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a Phase 1 trial shows. The findings of the multicenter, open-label, dose-finding study (NCT02870634) were announced by…

“Reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated.” —Mark Twain, in a letter to The New York Sun I spent the better part of November under the weather. I am always taken aback by the “uncommon” havoc the “common” cold can wreak on someone with the deficit baseline…