Biogen and Cytokinetics Present Updates on 2 New Clinical Trials into ALS

During the Drug Company Working Group session at the recent American Academy of Neurology annual meeting in Vancouver, Canada, a top researcher from Cytokinetics gave an update on a new Phase 3 study of  tirasemtiv as a potential treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and another from Biogen talked about a new trial to assess outcome measures in ALS…

The ALS Association and Prize4Life have launched a joint initiative worth $400,000, to award innovation in helping improve the lives of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The ALS Assistive Technology Challenge will award the development of flexible, accessible technology for ALS patients to communicate. The importance of the challenge is explained…

Mutations in the SOD1 gene, a major copper-binding protein, are a known cause of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). An extensive review from Keio University in Japan explores the possible role of copper homeostasis in SOD1-linked ALS, as seen in mice studies, and highlights the need for similar studies in people.

Tecla is for anyone who finds it difficult to use an iOS or Android touchscreen device. This includes people who have their mobility limited, especially their upper-body – such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. Get Tecla is the youtube channel of The Tecla…

Scientists at Umeå University have found that  superoxide dysmutase (SOD1), a protein that may cause amylotophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) spreads and clumps when injected into mice. The protein deposits also cause ALS-like symptoms. The report, titled “Two superoxide dismutase prion strains transmit amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-like disease” appeared May 3, 2016…

SOD1 protein aggregates can spread in a prion-like way, rapidly causing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) when injected into the spinal cord of mice carrying a human mutated SOD1 gene. The results, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, substantially advance insights into mechanisms in hereditary ALS, and…

May marks ALS Awareness Month, a grassroots campaign led by the ALS Association to improve understanding of, and raise research money for, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Each May the ALS Association sponsors activities that include National ALS Advocacy Day, leading a delegation of ALS patients, their caregivers, and other advocates to Capitol Hill to urge…

Researchers using a miniature microscope saw that glial cells, called astrocytes, contribute to sensory nerve transmission in the spinal cord of awake and moving animals. Offering unparalleled insights into the workings of the spinal cord, the tool may lead to new treatments for a range of neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Dr. Joe Beckman, PhD, at the Oregon State University, has been studying the chemistry of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis for quite a while. Together with other researchers, Dr. Beckman has been able to demonstrate a treatment which can dramatically extend the survival rate of laboratory mice who…

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation has awarded a $25,000 New Century Scholars Research Grant to neuroscientist Jonathan Brumberg to develop a brain-computer interface (BCI) that directly controls existing augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices. The platform is expected to aid people with profound speech and motor impairments due to neurodegenerative disorders such as…