A zebrafish model that reproduces key amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) symptoms and characteristics, including protein clumping, when exposed to blue light could aid in understanding disease mechanisms and in developing new treatments. The model was described in the study, “Optogenetic modulation of TDP-43 oligomerization accelerates ALS-related…

The Medidata Institute and Project ALS have announced a research partnership aimed at better understanding amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and developing new and personalized treatment approaches. With a focus on rare diseases, the institute works with scientists, regulatory agencies, patient advocates, life science companies, and research…

Astrocytes — cells of the nervous system cell that provide support to neurons — were seen to help protect motor neurons from damage caused by toxic protein clumps in a cell model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The study reporting this finding, “Distinct responses of neurons…

Factors like head trauma or fracture, electric shock, playing some competitive sports, drinking water from private wells, use of herbicides for gardening, and taking specific dietary supplements all may be associated with the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to a new study. However, larger studies are required…

A neurotoxic amino acid called β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) fed to vervet monkeys caused damage to the spinal cord similar to what is seen in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), potentially making them a much-needed new animal model for research, a study reported. Adding L-serine, a non-toxic amino acid, to their diet…

Aiforia Technologies and NeuroScience Associates (NSA Labs) are collaborating in an effort to learn more about how amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) affects brain function. The project leverages NSA Lab’s neuroscience expertise and Aiforia’s artificial intelligence (AI) know-how. It came about after the donation of the entire…

Biotech company EnClear Therapies has announced $10 million in financing to help advance its proprietary platform for stopping the progression of neurodegenerative disorders, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The investments comes from a Series A financing round, which is part of an early development stage for start-up…

Mutations in the C9ORF72 gene, the most common cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), lead to changes in how cells process ribonucleic acid (RNA) and protein, a new study shows, shedding light on the mechanisms through which such mutations…

Neuropore Therapies was awarded a $500,000 grant from The ALS Association to advance in preclinical work its neural protective candidate, NPT1220-312, as a potential treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The company is aiming to bring its molecule into clinical testing late next year. NPT1220-312 is a…

The protein synaptotagmin 13 (SYT13) protected motor neurons from degeneration in cell and animal models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a study reports, suggesting a gene therapy based on this protein’s related gene, SYT13, would treat these and other diseases of motor nerve cells.