Using a smartphone to collect amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients’ self-reported scores in the ALS-specific functional rating scale revised (ALSFRS-R) is feasible and shows a high correlation to scores collected at clinical sites, a small pilot study shows. The study “Design and results of a smartphone-based digital…

Histamine-related genes are promising disease biomarkers and therapeutic targets to slow amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) progression, a mouse study suggests. The study, “Histaminergic transmission slows progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,” was published in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle. ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder…

Use of statins, the blood cholesterol-lowering medications, for more than a year was linked to a lower risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) among older adults, a large Medicare beneficiaries-based study suggests. The study “Relationship of statins and other cholesterol- lowering medications and risk of amyotrophic lateral…

More than 800 community members recently turned out for the inaugural Arrest and Extinguish ALS event in Lenox, Massachusetts, raising $50,000 for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research. Twenty-two first-responder teams from the state’s Berkshires region gathered at the music venue Tanglewood to participate in a fun tug-of-war event…

Injection of human neural stem cells into the spinal cord of people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was found safe and did not cause adverse effects even two years after the transplant, results from a Phase 1 clinical trial show. Trial findings were published in the study, “Results…

Although people who develop amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have altered levels of several blood metabolites — products of our cells’ metabolism — before disease onset, these changes do not enable reliable identification of who is at risk of having ALS, according to a large study. The research, “…

People with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) who tolerated higher doses of tirasemtiv showed a trend toward slower decline in breathing muscle activity, although the difference was not statistically significant between those treated with the investigational therapy and those on a placebo, a Phase 3 clinical trial shows. These results may have…

Oxford BioDynamics has joined the REFINE-ALS study, a project designed to detect and measure the levels of specific biomarkers among people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America (MTPA) announced. REFINE-ALS is sponsored by the MTPA and led by the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)…

Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America (MTPA) has launched a new database that locates healthcare providers, area infusion treatment centers, and in-home infusion services, with the goal of providing a one-stop convenient resource for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients and caregivers. The nationwide directory is available within the ALS…

In observance of ALS Awareness Month, the ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI) has launched a campaign aimed at sparking more discussion about the progressive neurological disease. A leading non-profit drug discovery center focused solely on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the institute hopes to build on the awareness-promoting…