We talked with Dr. Stephen Johnson, postdoctoral fellow from Massachusetts General Hospital, to learn more about his research focused on ways to accelerate discovery of efficacious therapeutics through identification and validation of novel outcome measures using readily available technology.
The ALS Association, the country’s largest nonprofit committed to making ALS livable and finding a cure, today celebrated the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of AMX0035, a new treatment for people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neurodegenerative disease. The Association invested $2.2 million of funds raised through the 2014 ALS Ice Bucket Challenge into the development and trial of AMX0035, and led the years-long advocacy campaign that pushed the FDA to approve the treatment prior to completion of an ongoing phase 3 trial.
We talked with Dr. John Kalambogias, postdoctoral fellow from Columbia University, to learn more about his research focused on dysfunction and degeneration of corticospinal tract neurons in ALS mouse models.
We discussed the incredible strides being made in the science of preventing ALS with Dr. Stephen Goutman, Director of the Pranger ALS Clinic and Associate Professor of Neurology at the University of Michigan.
“We are grateful to Cytokinetics for their partnership and transparency, enabling the global research community to leverage these data in their ongoing analyses and research activities,” said Neil Thakur, Ph.D., Chief Mission Officer at The ALS Association.
The researchers focus on an earlier phase of ALS development, which is commonly understood to be a “silent” phase – before symptoms of the disease begin to manifest. Those minor motor impairments in the earlier phase are currently insufficient for a confirmed diagnosis.
Decreased mobility is a challenge faced by every person living with ALS, and helping people improve their mobility is a key to making the disease livable. It’s also a key to empowering people to live their lives as they want while reducing or preventing physical, emotional and financial burdens, and to enjoy the leisure activities that enrich their lives.
We talked with Dr. Ahmad Al Khleifat, recent winner of the distinguished ENCALS Young Investigator Award and postdoctoral fellow from King’s College London, to learn more about his research focused on disease gene identification through next generation sequencing, coupled with advanced data analysis to deliver diagnostic tools for complex disease genetics.
People with ALS, caregivers and people at risk of an ALS diagnosis have the opportunity to help the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) review applications for funding to support research into expanded access.