9 Things to Know About the New ALS Drug Radicava

On May 5, the FDA approved the first new treatment in 22 years for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The drug, Radicava (edaravone), has been found to slow down the decline of physical ability in ALS patients by a third. Find out more about the FDA approval of Radicava here.  MORE:…

Currently, there isn’t a treatment available to cure or reverse amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) but there are treatments available that can help improve quality of life for those living with the disease. According to the ALS Therapy Development Institute, these include: Medications for symptoms Medications can be used to address some…

Flex Pharma is launching the Phase 2 COMMEND trial, which will investigate the effects of FLX-787 in patients with muscle cramps associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The preliminary results of the trial are expected to be released in mid-2018. The COMMEND trial (NCT03196375) will start with an assessment…

BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics has signed an agreement with the University of California Irvine Medical Center (UCI) to start enrolling patients for an upcoming Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating whether NurOwn can improve functional impairment in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. NurOwn is made of mesenchymal stem cells…

My recent columns about rollators, scooters and electric grocery carts brought many positive comments from readers who shared their own similar experiences. From these comments, I noted how when living with a condition such as ALS, so many of us have a warrior mindset; each day is a…

Actor, director and playwright, Sam Shepard, has died following a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The star passed away at his Kentucky home on Thursday, July 27, surrounded by his family following a lengthy and private battle with the disease. MORE: Explaining amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) As a Hollywood…

Healthcare providers may now begin researching the insurance benefits process for patients in advance of the upcoming availability of Radicava (edaravone), an approved treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to the therapy’s distributor in the U.S., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)…

This very informative video from Khan Academy explains more about the progressive, degenerative disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). MORE: 10 things to know about genetic testing for ALS. The film explains that ALS is a rare disease that affects one to two people out of every 100,000. The…

Cytokinetics recently announced the start of a Phase 2 clinical trial investigating a new therapy candidate (CK-2127107) for the potential treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The Phase 2 FORTITUDE-ALS (NCT03160898) study will soon be…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted fast track status to FLX-787, Flex Pharma‘s treatment for severe muscle cramps in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Flex designed FLX-787 to interfere with transient receptor potential ion channels that are believed to play a role in nervous system pain and inflammation.