Based on data from a Phase 1 clinical trial, Biogen and Ionis Pharmaceuticals are discontinuing development of BIIB078, their experimental treatment candidate for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) caused by mutations in the C9orf72 gene. While the therapy was generally safe and well-tolerated in people with C9orf72-associated ALS, it…

I got away for a couple of nights during spring break with my 12-year-old son, Isaac, and 16-year-old daughter, Sara. It was good to have a mini-vacation, although I was sad my husband, Todd, couldn’t join us because his ALS progression makes travel too difficult. Three years ago, we all…

Minnesota lawmakers have passed legislation that will provide $25 million for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research and to support ALS caregivers in the state. Under the law (SF 3372), the Minnesota Office of Higher Education will receive $20 million to award research grants to scientists studying all areas of…

A CRISPR-based gene editing system could be used to reduce the activity of genes associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Huntington’s disease, a new study shows. The study, “Targeted gene silencing in the nervous system with CRISPR-Cas13,” was published in Science Advances. CRISPR is a strategy that…

“I know all too well it don’t come easy, The chains of the world they seem to movin’ tight. I try to walk around, if I’m stumbling so come, Tryin’ to get up but the doubt is so strong, There’s gotta be a winning in my bones. I am looking…

Treatment with Radicava (edaravone) for at least one year significantly reduces the risk of death in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), prolonging their survival for about six months compared with those not given the therapy, an analysis of U.S. real-life data shows. “Real-world data may provide additional insight…

Synchron’s Stentrode, an innovative, implantable brain computer interface (BCI), was found safe in four amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients and let them communicate and perform daily online tasks by using “just their thought,” according to one-year data from a clinical trial. The results were presented as part of…

There is no substantial evidence supporting the efficacy of Amylyx Pharmaceuticals’ AMX0035 for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to a 6–4 vote by a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee. The close vote against the therapy came at the end of a virtual…

An old friend stopped by with a gift of homegrown microgreens. She’s a retired nurse, and she used to help with nighttime care for my husband, Todd, who has ALS. She visited for a while, and we updated her on Todd’s health and decline in lung strength. I…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug designation to InFlectis BioScience’s experimental therapy IFB-088 for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Orphan drug status is given to treatment candidates with the potential to be safe and effective in rare diseases. In the U.S. rare diseases are defined as…