Specially Engineered Neural Cells Delay Disease and Extend Life in ALS Animal Model

Transplanting engineered neural cells into the brain of an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) animal model delayed disease progression and extended the animals’ survival, a study shows. The study, “Transplantation of Neural Progenitor Cells Expressing Glial Cell Line‐Derived Neurotrophic Factor into the Motor Cortex as a Strategy to Treat Amyotrophic Lateral…

The Muscular Dsytrophy Association (MDA) awarded 13 new grants totaling $2.6 million to find treatments for neuromuscular disorders, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The 13 grants are divided into three types: Five grants were awarded to recognized, independent researchers; Five development grants were awarded to early-career scholars, and;…

The other day, I watched a celebrity interview on TV. The soft-spoken man had short, neat hair and wore a blue button-down shirt. He looked like a banker or an accountant. But he was the bass guitarist in a rock-and-roll band! Boy, looks can be deceiving! It’s the same…

The distinct processes that drive FUS proteins to aggregate and clump in both amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) were detailed in a new report. The study, “Phase Separation of FUS Is Suppressed by Its Nuclear Import Receptor and Arginine Methylation,” appeared in the journal Cell. The…

Worldwide Clinical Trials and the healthcare technology company Datavant are partnering in an effort to improve trials in neurological diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). With the aging of Western populations, neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s represent an increasingly high…

Mutations in the C9orf72 gene deregulate the process by which cells remove waste, leading to a buildup of toxic elements inside them, researchers have found. This discovery expands knowledge on how C9orf72 may contribute to the development and progression of neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)…

Biohaven Pharmaceuticals has established an expanded access program (EAP) for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) for its investigational treatment candidate, BHV-0223, the company recently announced. The United States Food and Drug Administration regulates the expanded access program to help provide access to therapies that are currently in development and have…

My family recently made a welcome discovery. It turns out that home healthcare for ALS patients is covered by Medicare. The revelation came as we faced a dilemma: my care needs had eclipsed my wife’s capacity to provide them. We had wondered how we could be assured of…

Newly developed molecular treatment candidates called small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) have been successfully delivered to the brain and spinal cord in a rat preclinical study, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals recently announced. According to the company, the development of siRNAs may lead to the prevention or treatment of diseases such as amyotrophic…

Transplanting human spinal cord-derived neural stem cells (HSSC) into the spine of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was found to improve their survival and function, according to clinical trial investigators. Results from the Phase 1/2 trials were compared to historical populations (controls), and the results were reported in the…