New Brunswick adds Albrioza for ALS to its public health plan

New Brunswick adds Albrioza for ALS to its public health plan

New Brunswick is reimbursing, through its public health insurance program, the cost of Albrioza (sodium phenylbutyrate and ursodoxicoltaurine) for eligible residents living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The Canadian province is the country’s fourth to provide public coverage for the oral therapy — marketed in the U.S.

Asthma medicine slows ALS disease progression in small trial

Six months of treatment with clenbuterol, an asthma medication, slowed disease progression in adults with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to data from a small U.S.-based Phase 2 clinical trial. Despite these promising preliminary findings, more than half the participants withdrew from the study due to side effects. “Nonetheless,…

The best cup of coffee I’ve ever had

Throughout our relationship, my late husband, Jeff, was the partner who most enjoyed taking care of people and things. He built wooden furniture and personal gifts, tended to flowers, and prepared meals from scratch. He got a great deal of satisfaction from going above and beyond for people. Jeff was…

ATH-1105 protects against common ALS, FTD disease mechanisms

Athira Pharma’s experimental therapy ATH-1105 shows anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects, promoting neuron growth and reducing damage associated with mechanisms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a related condition. The small molecule reduced inflammation and the buildup of a faulty version of TDP-43, a protein that’s…

New platform may help to ID cognitive problems in ALS

A new home-based neurocognitive platform from Cumulus Neurosciences is feasible to use and patient-friendly, and shows potential to identify cognitive problems and to discriminate between people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), those with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and healthy individuals. That’s according to preliminary data from a first-in-class study,…

Connections provide a sense of belonging in life with ALS

Eighteen years ago when expecting my daughter, I decided to become a stay-at-home mom. Mothering a newborn was a joyful season, but it was also exhausting and isolating. Another new mom in my community who’d experienced that same isolation after leaving the workforce started a family club that offered an…

How I’ve benefited from finding flow with my ALS

I’ll admit I often worry if I’m being productive with my time and spending it wisely. That’s always been important to me, but it intensified the day I was told I had ALS. That’s when I heard the words “average life expectancy of two to five years” and left…