The American Academy of Neurology, The ALS Association and the American Brain Foundation have awarded the 2024 Sheila Essey Award to Eva Feldman, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Michigan. Throughout her distinguished career, Feldman has shed light on biological processes that drive ALS development and progression, paving the way for the development of new therapies, including two first-ever human clinical trials of intraspinal stem cell implantation (injection) therapy for ALS.

We are saddened by today’s news about Relyvrio and our hearts go out to everyone in the ALS community.

On behalf of everyone living with ALS and their families, the ALS Association sent a letter this week to members of the House and Senate demonstrating our support for the passing of the ALS Better Care Act which will increase access to multidisciplinary care clinics for people living with ALS. 

Federal Government Drops Appeal Challenging D.C. Court's Decision to Make All Copays Count.

On behalf of everyone living with ALS and their families, the ALS Association sent a letter to CVS Caremark asking company to reconsider its current policy regarding coverage of Relyvrio.

The ALS Association is deeply concerned and disappointed about the delay in FY24 government funding. ALS research needs to be funded and increased—NOW. People living with ALS cannot wait. We call upon policymakers to prioritize ALS research and swiftly appropriate the necessary funds to support innovative research initiatives, clinical trials and the development of potential treatments.

On the heel of the FDA's decision on NurOwn, we are sharing our thoughts with the ALS community in our statement.

The possibility of a government shutdown could have far-reaching and disastrous consequences for people living with ALS and those who depend on government-funded programs and support systems. A shutdown will disrupt the vital services and resources that many individuals with ALS and their families rely on daily.

With the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the first gene-targeted therapy for ALS – and at least nine more in clinical development – genetic counseling and testing has become increasingly important. However, genetic counseling and testing is still not routinely offered to people with ALS in the United States.

Leveraging more than $3 million in support from The ALS Association, researchers from UMass Chan Medical School, the National Institutes of Health and Emory University have developed a cloud-based central repository of genetic data related to ALS and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). ALS Compute compiles data from multiple large-scale initiatives into one easily accessible dataset that is far more powerful than any single dataset alone.   

Listen to Cleveland Walk Honorary Co-Chair, Michael Polito's, talk to Bruce Drennan about ALS, the Cleveland Walk, and why Mike Walks to Defeat ALS.

The ALS Association and ALS Finding a Cure® have awarded seven new grants worth a total of $2 million over the next three years to support the development of early diagnostics for ALS.

The ALS Association has launched two new grant funding opportunities designed to support research focused on better management of the disease and reduction of its complications. These grants, worth several million dollars over the next two years, will fund the development of new assistive technologies and strengthen the quality of ALS care.

The ALS Association and The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD) are launching a research funding opportunity to support collaborative development of digital assessment tools for both ALS and frontotemporal degeneration (FTD).

We continue to press Cigna to reverse course and make Relyvrio treatment available for people living with ALS on Cigna plans. While Cigna initially revised its policy, those changes were insufficient to ensure timely access to Relyvrio for people living with ALS.

The ALS Association recently submitted a series of regulatory filings to reduce administrative burdens placed on people living with ALS. The filings are in support of administrative rule changes at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that would reduce some administrative delays by improving prior authorization claims processes, instituting how and when Medicare Advantage plans develop and use coverage criteria and utilization management policies, and ensure that Medicare Advantage coverage policies are equivalent to traditional Medicare coverage.

The ALS Association and the Focused Ultrasound Foundation are partnering to advance transformational treatments for people with ALS. Leveraging a $500,000 ALS Association Partnership Grant and $500,000 in matching funds from the foundation, this new collaboration will support research into diagnosing and treating ALS using focused ultrasound technology.

We thank the FDA Advisory Committee for their clear and compelling recommendation that tofersen be approved under the accelerated approval pathway. We urge the FDA to swiftly approve this urgently needed new treatment. Americans living with this rare and aggressive genetic form of ALS cannot wait.

The U.S. House and Senate are preparing legislation that determines how much will be spent on research. We need as many members as possible of the House and Senate to sign “Dear Colleague” letters committing to support increased funding for ALS.

The ALS Association submitted comments to the FDA’s Central and Peripheral Nervous System Advisory Committee, urging it to recommend approval of tofersen for people with ALS linked to a SOD1 gene mutation. The committee will meet virtually on March 22 to review data associated with Biogen’s new drug application.