October 2019 Foundation eNews

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Introducing the First-Ever ALS Platform Trial

The Sean M. Healey & AMG Center at Massachusetts General Hospital is launching the first-ever ALS platform trial aimed at advancing the development of ALS treatments.

Our Lois Insolia ALS Clinic at the Les Turner ALS Center at Northwestern Medicine has been selected as one of the participating sites, with enrollment of patients to begin in 2020.

A «platform trial» is a clinical trial that involves the testing and evaluating of multiple treatments for a disease simultaneously. In addition, because different treatments are tested using shared infrastructure and a common master protocol, data from participants in all placebo groups can be pooled. This increases the chance for each individual participants of being on active treatment versus placebo, unlike traditional trials.

«We are hoping that this new initiative will shorten the time it takes to do traditional clinical trials, broaden patient access to trials and help us better understand this disease,» shares Senda Ajroud-Driss, MD and Director of the Lois Insolia ALS Clinic. Learn more about this first-ever ALS Platform Trial in our full write-up>>


FDA Releases Long-Awaited ALS Drug Guidance

Thanks to the dedicated voices of our ALS community, the FDA has released the long-awaited ALS Drug Guidance.

«Our hope is that the Guidance will initiate faster and more efficient ALS drug development programs, reduce costs and create incentives for the industry to enter the ALS market,» says our Director of Support Services and Education, Lauren Webb.

The ALS Drug Guidance is not a cure but it is a critical step in our collective work to seek out treatments and a cure, ultimately creating a world free of ALS.  Read the FDA ALS Drug Guidance>>


Over 100 Medical Professionals Attend Our ALS Clinical Conference

Last month, over 100 physicians, nurses and healthcare professionals attended Northwestern’s Second Annual Updates in the Diagnosis and Management of ALS led by John M. Coleman III, MD and Senda Ajroud-Driss, MD of our Les Turner ALS Center at Northwestern Medicine.

Led by the experts at our Center, the conference teaches providers from the Chicagoland area how to more effectively diagnose and treat ALS. This approach ensures people living with ALS are receiving the highest quality of care, helping them live longer, better lives.  See what comprehensive care means to us>>