Dysport (abobotulinumtoxinA), made by Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, is an injectable drug to treat spasticity in adults. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first approved its use in July 2015 to treat upper limb spasticity, but in June 2017, the FDA extended approval for Dysport to treat lower limb spasticity as well.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) often is mistaken for multiple sclerosis (MS). In fact, they share similar symptoms and features, such as scarring around the nerves (sclerosis), causing muscle spasms, difficulty in walking, and fatigue. ALS characteristics ALS is a rapidly progressing and…
The Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) has awarded BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics a $2.1 million grant to support the development of NurOwn, an innovative mesenchymal stem cell-based platform to treat neurodegenerative diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Several metals may be linked to the risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to results of a small study in Italy. The findings state that levels of metals and other essential trace elements in blood, urine, and hair may serve as biomarkers to diagnose and monitor ALS. The study titled,…
Currently, there isn’t a treatment available to cure or reverse amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) but there are treatments available that can help improve quality of life for those living with the disease. According to the ALS Therapy Development Institute, these include: Medications for symptoms Medications can be used…
Mallinckrodt has launched the Phase 2b PENNANT trial (NCT03068754) to investigate the safety and effectiveness of H.P. Acthar Gel (repository corticotropin injection) as a treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The H.P. Acthar Gel is an experimental injectable drug that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted fast…
Stem cell transplantation in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has the potential to be “an important alternative strategy” in treating the disease, a new study suggests. In recent decades, many advances in identifying and understanding the underlying mechanisms of ALS have been made. But those advances have not resulted in…
A new study shows that patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) experience decreased oxidative metabolism during exercise, and that differences among individuals in exercise capacity matches ALS clinical heterogeneity. The study, titled, “Inefficient skeletal muscle oxidative function…
There isn’t one test that doctors can use to determine if a person has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Instead, doctors need to perform a series of tests to eliminate other similar neurological diseases and to arrive at an ALS diagnosis. The process can be slow, taking an average of 12 to 14 months…
People dying of terminal diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and inmates on death row have something in common: their outlooks are more positive than might be expected. A recent study examining attitudes on impending death, “Dying is Unexpectedly Positive,” appeared in the journal Psychological Science. Death is an important part…
