The Neurology Clinical Trial Unit (NCTU) at Mass General is offering a great funding opportunity for investigators and companies interested in conducting Phase I & II Trials in ALS.

The goal of this effort is to help push forward promising ALS research to clinical testing. Deadline for proposals is September 1st.

For complete details, click here...>

The Northeast ALS Consortium (NEALS) will be hosting an interactive Webinar about - Contributing to an ALS Sample Repository to Help Forward ALS Research.

DATE: Wednesday, April 6, 2011
TIME: 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m EST
WHO: Robert Bowser, PhD, Merit Cudkowicz, MD, MSc 
and Carol Milligan, PhD

HOW TO JOIN: Space is limited. To reserve your Webinar seat now, click here...> After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

DETAILS: Expert panelists will discuss and answer questions about:

The importance of biosamples to ALS research
How biosamples are used to further research
Why finding a biomarker is so important to ALS
Ways to donate samples and how the donation is collected

This free Webinar is for people with ALS, their families and caregivers. Please feel free to forward announcement to those interested.

NEALS hosts regular Webinars on important clinical and clinical research topics for people with ALS. For a list of other upcoming NEALS Webinars please click here...>

The Northeast ALS Consortium (NEALS) will be hosting an interactive webcast about ALS clinical trials, familial ALS, and the ISIS-SOD1RX clinical study in patients with familial ALS due to mutations in SOD1.

DATE: Wednesday, March 2, 2011
TIME: 12:00 p.m. ET / 9:00 a.m. PT
WHO: Timothy Miller, M.D., Ph.D. & Merit Cudkowicz, M.D., MSc 

HOW TO JOIN: Live on the Internet. To join this webinar at the date and time above, simply log onto the ISIS WEB SITE and click on the Patient tab in the right top corner.

DETAILS: A Phase 1 study is currently enrolling patients who have familial ALS due to a mutation in the SOD1 gene. This study is designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of an investigational antisense drug, ISIS-SOD1Rx. The drug is administered intrathecally (using an external pump and a temporary catheter to deliver drug into the spinal fluid) during a single, 12-hour infusion. Four dosage levels will each include eight participants: six participants will be randomly assigned to receive SOD1Rx and two participants will receive placebo. Study participants may be enrolled in more than one dose level, if they qualify. Genetic confirmation of a SOD1 mutation is required to enroll in the study. Genetic testing may be available for ALS patients if they have a family history of ALS and preliminary qualifications are met.

Enrollment is ongoing at five study centers in the US and travel assistance is available for patients to travel to one of the study centers. This study is sponsored by The Muscular Dystrophy Association, the ALS Association, and Isis Pharmaceuticals. More information about the study and contact information for the study sites can be found at www.clinicaltrials.gov (identifier: NCT01041222) or by contacting the NEALS coordinating center.

The Northeast Consortium (NEALS) announces that Dr. Merit Cudkowicz, Principal Investigator for the Ceftriaxone study, will hold an informational Webinar for people with ALS who are interested in learning more about the clinical trial of Ceftriaxone for ALS.

Listeners will learn about the scientific rationale behind the study, study procedures, and have the opportunity to ask questions.

WHEN: Join the seminar on Wednesday, February 9, 2011 at 2:00 EST

For more information, and to register for this free event, click here...>