Higher levels of inflammatory immune cells called effector T-cells at the time of diagnosis are associated with faster disease progression and worse survival among people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a new study indicates. In turn, greater numbers of regulatory T-cells, which work to dampen excessive immune responses, were…
BrainEver has joined in a long-term partnership with 3P Biopharmaceuticals to advance in development its lab-made form of the human protein Engrailed 1 (EN1) as a potential treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and like conditions. Under the terms of the collaboration, 3P will be in charge of…
I’ll admit that because I live with ALS, some of my past “Human vs. Automation” experiences have been, um, less than perfect. Touchpads that open automated doors don’t always work for me, and voice activation software doesn’t recognize my commands. But now, I have a new sense of…
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has agreed to review an application seeking the approval of tofersen in treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) caused by mutations in the SOD1 gene, the therapy’s developer, Biogen, reported. “Today’s announcement is an important milestone for the ALS community in Europe where there is a tremendous need…
EpicentRx has been awarded funding from FightMND to study how well RRx-001, its lead small molecule, may protect nerve cells against damage caused by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a disease also known as motor neuron disease (MND). “We are very pleased to receive this support from FightMND…
Researchers have developed a brain-machine interface (BMI) that could someday facilitate communication for people who have lost their ability to speak, including those with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). After being trained to recognize certain patterns of nerve cell activity, the BMI could accurately predict the words a person with…
Family fun has gotten harder to come by since my husband, Todd, was diagnosed with ALS and the disease has progressed. Initially, Todd could still walk, but his legs tired easily, so we needed to pace ourselves. It got increasingly difficult to go out as his muscles weakened, but…
A soft robotic implantable device that can exert mechanical force on muscles was shown to reduce muscle atrophy in a mouse model in a recent study. Based on the findings, researchers believe the device may be able to be applied in diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) that…
Veterans with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are calling for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to hold a public advisory committee meeting to discuss the benefits of NurOwn — an investigational cell-based therapy that military service members say has slowed their disease. The request follows the regulatory…
I’m excited to share good news about the growing access by ALS patients to the benefits of mindfulness and meditation. As readers of this column likely know, I’ve been on a quest to increase awareness in the ALS community about these wonderful mind-body practices. Being mindful…
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