What is ALS?
“Everybody knows about the Ice Bucket Challenge. But what do you know about the disease behind this challenge, known as ALS or MND? Watch this video to learn about it.” Learn more about ALS: https://bit.ly/ALSNewsToday…
What is ALS?
Neuronal Degeneration Linked to Decline in a Synaptic Protein
University of Bern researchers have discovered that the synaptic protein Homer-3 is linked to the death of Purkinje motor neurons in Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1), a motor neuron disease that, like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is characterized by extensive motor neuron loss. The study, titled “Impaired mTORC1-Dependent Expression of…
Dysfunctional ALS Patient Skin-Derived Muscle Neurons Rescued by Kenpaullone
A new proof-of-concept study reports converting adult skin cells from ALS patients into muscle neurons without first transforming them into stem cells. The patient-derived muscle neurons were dysfunctional, but when treated with a small molecule, the team could restore neuronal function. The use of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)…
ALS and Other Neurological Disorders May Benefit from Prions Created in Lab
A research group — coordinated by Giuseppe Legname from The Laboratory of Prion Disease, SISSA, Trieste, Italy — has found a way to build artificial prions, assembling the proteins in a serial manner. The study was performed in collaboration with the Carlo Besta Neurological Institute in Milan and the results were published in the journal…
ALS Symptoms Found in Mice Lacking a Specific MicroRNA Molecule
Researchers at the Salk Institute have discovered that a set of messenger RNAs, controlled by the microRNA miR-218, define a specific network of neuronal genes that are repressed to prevent neuromuscular damage and neurodegeneration. Loss of miR-218 was seen to lead to the onset of neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral…
Phi Delta Theta Fraternity Awards $100,000 to Milton Safenowitz Postdoctoral Research Fellow Studying ALS
The ALS Association has announced the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity is contributing to support the Milton Safenowitz Postdoctoral Fellow Program by awarding $100,000 over two years to Antonia Dominguez, Ph.D., a researcher focused on finding treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The Milton Safenowitz Postdoctoral Fellowships were founded by the Safenowitz family…
Protein Clumps Linked to ALS Motor Neuron Death Seen for First Time
Researchers at University Of North Carolina School Of Medicine are reporting the first evidence-based description of the neuronal protein clumps thought to be toxic to motor neurons and instigators of the neuronal degeneration seen in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The laboratory discovery of the form of these unstable clumps, known as SOD1 proteins, and…
ALS Phase 3 Study of Masitinib Reaches Target Patient Enrollment
AB Science recently announced it has completed its targeted enrollment of 381 patients for an ongoing Phase 3 study evaluating masitinib in the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Masitinib is an orally administered tyrosine kinase inhibitor designed to target important immune system cells known as mast cells and macrophages. Its mechanism of action…
Isis Pharma’s ALS Candidate Drug Enters Clinical Trial
ISIS Pharmaceuticals, in collaboration with Biogen, has started a Phase 1/2 clinical study of ISIS-SOD1Rx (BIIB067), one of the drug candidates to come out of the strategic partnership between the two companies, in adult patients diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ISIS-SOD1Rx’s mode of action relies on ISIS antisense technology that targets at…
Top 10 ALS News Stories of 2015
ALS News Today has published daily coverage of ALS-related advocacy events, clinical trials, and research throughout the year. As 2015 finally winds down, ALS News Today has compiled the top 10 ALS news stories of 2015, ranked according to the number of views each news story received. #10 — “Mechanism Underlying…
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