Browse our interactive material, read recent ALS publications and news articles, or find information on our upcoming events.
04/12/2013: Phase II Clinical development of novel, high-potential treatments for people with ALS RFP
The Massachusetts General Hospital Neurological Clinical Research Institute (NCRI) and The ALS Assocation announce a call for Phase II clinical trial applications for novel, high potential treatments for ALS.
03/25/2013: Massachusetts General Hospital Researcher Receives Award for ALS Research
James D. Berry, MD, MPH has received the Richard Olney, MD, Clinician-Scientist Development Award for his investigation of cells in the immune system.
03/18/2013: ALS Clinical Trial Pipeline Webinar Spring 2013
Join us on Wednesday March 27th for an informational webinar for PALS and their families.
02/26/2013: US Brainstorm Trial Statement
Formal statement on the forthcoming US Brainstorm trial
02/11/2013: ALS Drug Development Gets FDA Hearing
PALS, caregivers, ALS advocates and researchers will gather on Monday February 25th to talk to the FDA about ALS, from the patient perspective.
01/03/2013: Biogen Announces It Will Discontinue Development of Dexpramipexole Based on Phase 3 Trial Results
Biogen Idec has announced that the EMPOWER trial has failed to demonstrate efficacy in primary and secondary endpoints.
12/20/2012: Webinar for ALS Patients and Families on Mexiletine in Sporadic ALS
Join us on Friday January 11th 2013 as Dr. Michael Weiss (University of Washington) will provide study rationale and background for Mexiletine in patients with sporadic ALS. He will also be available for Q&A.
12/05/2012: PRO-ACT: The Largest ALS Clinical Trials Database Ever Created
Open-access database will take researchers one step closer to finding a treatment and cure for ALS
12/03/2012: Mass General/ Project A.L.S. Internship Program 2013
The Mass General / Project A.L.S. Internship Program at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston offers students an exceptional opportunity to gain first-hand experience in the clinical research and care of ALS.
12/03/2012: Mass General Hospital ALS Internship Program for College and Medical School Students 2013
The Mass General Hospital ALS Internship Program offers both college and medical school students an exceptional opportunity to gain first-hand experience in the clinical research and care of ALS.
12/03/2012: Anne B. Young, MD, PhD, Fellowship in Therapeutic Development DEADLINE EXTENDED
Massachusetts General Hospital is pleased to announce that we are accepting applications for a joint MGH/Biogen Idec training program in translational neuroscience.
11/26/2012: Massachusetts General Hospital Announces Neurological Clinical Research Institute
The Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital is pleased to announce that the Neurology Clinical Trials Unit has changed its name to the Neurological Clinical Research Institute (NCRI).
11/13/2012: Merit Cudkowicz to Hold Informational Webinar on the ALS Clinical Trial Pipeline
On Friday November 30th 2012, Merit Cudkowicz, MD, MSc, gave a webinar presentation for patients and their families. The archived webinar is now available for viewing.
10/30/2012: Neuraltus Announces Encouraging Phase II Study Results
Neuraltus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has announced results from its phase II clinical study of NP001 in patients with ALS. Results demonstrated that NP001 was safe and well-tolerated.
10/29/2012: Cytokinetics Announces BENEFIT-ALS, A Phase IIb Clinical Trial of Tirasemtiv
BENEFIT-ALS Will Evaluate Longer Term Effects of Novel Skeletal Muscle Activator and Represents a Key Step Forward Towards Potential Registration
09/10/2012: Cytokinetics Proceeding to Initiate Phase IIb Trial
Cytokinetics plans to initiate this clinical trial, designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of tirasemtiv (formerly CK-2017357) in patients with ALS, in the fourth quarter of 2012.
08/16/2012: NeuRx Diaphragm Pacing System (DPS) Study has been Funded
This study will assess the ability of the NeuRx Diaphragm Pacing System (DPS) to improve respiratory function and quality of life in people with ALS.
08/08/2012: Statement on the Clinical Trial of Ceftriaxone
The DSMB for the NINDS-sponsored clinical trial of ceftriaxone in ALS recommended that based on existing data the trial be stopped because the study was unlikely to reach the pre-determined efficacy criteria.
06/12/2012: Cytokinetics Announces Results of Phase II Trial of CK-2017357
Published results demonstrated that single oral doses of 250 mg and 500 mg of CK-2017357 appeared safe and well-tolerated in patients with ALS.
06/11/2012: Results Announced for Phase I Trial of ISIS 333611 in SOD1 FALS
Results indicate that ISIS 333611 was well-tolerated.
05/04/2012: A Powerful New Clinical Research Resource: PRO-ACT Database
The Northeast ALS Consortium (NEALS) and Prize4Life are developing the PRO-ACT Platform, an ALS clinical trial record database comprised of data collected from Phase II and III trials conducted over the past 20 years.
04/19/2012: Cytokinetics Announces Fast Track Designation
The FDA has granted Cytokinetic's drug candidate CK-2017357 a fast track designation for the potential treatment of ALS.
04/18/2012: Confirmatory Data Supports Effectiveness of Cogane™ in ALS
Cogane™ reduced the loss of spinal cord motor neurons by 39% in a pre-clinical model with a mutation of the SOD1 gene.
04/10/2012: NeuralStem Trial: Safety Results of First Twelve Participants Published
Published safety data shows that spinal cord stem cells can be delivered safely into the spines of patients with ALS.
03/26/2012: Stem Cell Study Aids Quest for ALS Therapies
An international research team has created motor neurons using skin cells from a person with an inherited form of ALS/MND.
03/01/2012: Mass General/ Project A.L.S. Internship Program
The Mass General / Project A.L.S. Internship Program at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston offers students an exceptional opportunity to gain first-hand experience in the clinical research and care of ALS.
02/28/2012: ALS TDI To Hold TDI132 Information Webinar on March 12th
The webinar will provide an overview of the scientific rationale for this exciting planned trial as well as discuss the next steps forward.
02/14/2012: Phase II TDI 132 Trial Announced
The ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI) has announced they will launch a Phase II clinical trial investigating TDI 132 as a potential treatment for ALS.
01/17/2012: Press Release: Brainstorm Initial Patient Results Support NurOwn Safety
Press release states no significant side effects noted in initial Brainstorm participants.
01/16/2012: Phytopharm Releases Positive Preliminary Results
Phytopharm lead drug candidate Cogane has demonstrated efficacy in genetic preclinical model of ALS.
12/21/2011: Veterans with ALS - New Disability Rating Rule
As of January 19th, 2012, veterans with service connected ALS will be eligible for a 100% disability rating.
12/14/2011: Trophos Phase III Trial Results Announced
Trophos, a French pharmaceutical company, announced results from its phase III trial of Olesoxime.
11/28/2011: The Northeast ALS Consortium (NEALS) Launches New Website
The Northeast ALS Consortium (NEALS) has launched their new website devoted to supporting clinical research of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and other motor neuron disease (MND).
11/21/2011: Knopp Announces Positive Phase II Results
Phase II Dexpramipexole, funded by Knopp Biosciences, shown to be safe and tolerable in patients with ALS.
11/15/2011: Ceftriaxone, NP001, and Dexpramipexole Trials Close Enrollment
The phase III trial of Ceftriaxone; Neuraltus, the Phase II study of NP001 in ALS; and EMPOWER, the Phase III study of Dexpramipexole in ALS, are no longer recruiting participants.
09/21/2011: Calling all Veterans
Military Veterans who are diagnosed with ALS are eligible for service connected benefits.
09/06/2011: New ALS Gene Found
Investigators at Northwestern University School of Medicine have identified several gene mutations that may underlie most, if not all, cases of ALS.
08/12/2011: ALS Trial Expert Available to Answer Questions about Clinical Trials
NEALS and ALSA launch new "clinical trial expert" effort to help people with ALS navigate the world of clinical research.
12/15/2010: Improving access to highly specialized care using state-of-the-art telemedicine
Maine Collaborative teams up with Massachusetts General Hospital for better care of patients with Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
05/16/2012: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Safety, tolerability and pharmacodynamics of a skeletal muscle activator in amyotrophic lateral scle
Published Phase II results demonstrated that single oral doses of 250 mg and 500 mg of CK-2017357 appeared safe and well-tolerated in patients with ALS.
03/13/2012: Stem Cells
Lumbar Intraspinal Injection of Neural Stem Cells in Patients with ALS: Results of a Phase I Trial i
The results of an ongoing Phase I trial of intraspinal injections of fetal-derived neural stems cells in patients with ALS.
11/20/2011: Nature Medicine
The effects of dexpramipexole (KNS-760704) in individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Phase II, two-part trial examining safety and tolerability of dexpramipexole in patients with ALS.
05/23/2010: Therapy Times
Tuesdays With an SLP
Paige Nalipinski, senior speech language pathologist and project coordinator at MGH, writes about ALS care guidelines and her experience working with patients at the MGH ALS Multidisciplinary Clinic.
05/01/2010: Lancet Neurology
Safety and efficacy of lithium in combination with riluzole for treatment of amyotrophic lateral scl
Double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with a time-to-event design assessing the safety and efficacy of lithium in combination with riluzole in patients with ALS.
07/01/2008: Muscle & Nerve
Arimoclomol at dosages up to 300 mg/day is well tolerated and safe in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of arimoclomol in ALS were assessed.
07/01/2006: Annals of Neurology
Trial of celecoxib in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
A double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial to determine if celecoxib is safe and effective in ALS.
12/13/2005: Neurology
Tolerance of high-dose (3,000 mg/day) coenzyme Q10 in ALS
An open-label dose-escalation trial was performed to assess the safety and tolerability of high doses of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in ALS.
11/09/2004: Neurology
A clinical trial of creatine in ALS
A randomized double-blind, placebo controlled trial on 104 patients with ALS from 14 sites to evaluate the efficacy of creatine supplementation in ALS.
08/26/2003: Neurology
A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of topiramate in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
A double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter randomized clinical trial to determine if long-term topiramate therapy is safe and slows disease progression in patients with ALS.
01/01/2012: Continuing Medical Education in Neurology
The Neurology Service at Mass General offers Continuing Medical Education through Harvard Medical School.
The Clinical Trial of Ceftriaxone in ALS
A webinar recording explaining the design and scientific rationale behind the Clinical Trial of Ceftriaxone in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
Ceftriaxone Trial Video
A video explaining the design and scientific rationale behind the Clinical Trial of Ceftriaxone in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
Neurology Bicentennial Celebration, 2011 Part I
Neurology Bicentennial Celebration, October 13, 2011. Past History of MGH Neurology; Overview of MGH Neurology; Telestroke and Acute Stroke Service; Neurodegenerative Disorders; Pediatric Neurology.
Neurology Bicentennial Celebration, 2011 Part II
Neurology Bicentennial Celebration, October 13, 2011. Clinical and research presentations on ALS, Stroke, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Parkinson’s Disease
Respiratory Assistance Video
A video for ALS patients discussing and demonstrating uses of bipap and cough assist machines.
