Research funded by The ALS Association using Ice Bucket Challenge donations recently led to a significant discovery in understanding a disease pathway behind the most frequent cause of inherited ALS and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
The biotechnology company, Aquinnah Pharmaceuticals is dedicated to identifying new therapeutic agents for ALS and Alzheimer’s disease, based on a new scientific approach of RNA binding proteins involved in neurodegenerative disease. Last week, Aquinnah announced a $10 million investment from two world leader pharmaceutical companies Pfizer, Inc. and AbbVie Inc. to support therapeutic development to treat ALS, Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Over 30,300 neuroscientists from around the world gathered in San Diego in November for the Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience (SfN), the largest annual meeting of scientists in the world. ALS was strongly represented at the meeting, with the presentation of approximately two hundred new research studies on genes, models, disease mechanisms and therapy development. These included many supported by The ALS Association under our TREAT ALSTM global research program that I highlight below.
The ALS Association and I AM ALS announced today that the organizations have awarded a combined grant of $500,000 to BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics (NASDAQ: BCLI), a biotechnology company, to support an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) biomarker research study. The grant will be used to draw insights from data and samples collected from patients enrolled in BrainStorm’s ongoing phase 3 clinical trial of its NurOwn® treatment, to further understanding of critical biomarkers associated with treatment response for people with ALS.
Dr. Marka Van Blitterswijk from the Mayo Clinic Jacksonville is a scientist and one of our former Milton Safenowitz postdoctoral fellows. Since moving on from the program, she has established her own ALS lab as an assistant professor. We recently awarded her a prestigious multi-year grant surrounding her biomarker work.
Through donations from the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, The ALS Association is supporting strategic initiatives that emphasize collaboration, data sharing and state-of-the-art scientific methods. Here we feature the Center for Genomics of Neurodegenerative Disease (CGND) at the New York Genome Center (NYGC). Meet Dr. Hemali Phatnani and learn about how the CGND at the NYGC is making a huge impact on ALS research.
The ALS Association offers a variety of ways to support caregivers. We have programs to help cover the costs associated with in home care as well as targeted trainings for caregivers to ensure they have the information they need to take care of themselves and their loved one.
The ALS Association offers a variety of ways to support caregivers. We have programs to help cover the costs associated with in home care as well as targeted trainings for caregivers to ensure they have the information they need to take care of themselves and their loved one.