Albuquerque, N.M.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Maas BiolAB received a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant of $2.1 million over three years from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the translational project “Intrathecal Cyclosporin for the Treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).”

Cyclosporin, a direct mitochondrial neuroprotectant, substantially extends life in ALS mice. Mitogard®, the only cyclosporin formula designed for cerebrospinal fluid administration, was developed because systemic cyclosporin does not easily reach the brain and spinal cord. Dose escalation toxicology and pharmacokinetics safety studies of intrathecal Mitogard® will be performed under Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) by Northern Biomedical Research, enabling Investigational New Drug (IND) approval for ALS clinical trials.

ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease causes progressive death of motor neurons in the brain and spine leading to paralysis and death usually within three years. There are as many as 30,000 Americans with ALS with 5,000 dying each year. (more…)

Washington, DC - The Advocacy Department is excited to let you know that on Tuesday, October 16, 2007, the House of Representatives passed the ALS Registry Act by a vote of 411-3! This is a tremendous victory for people with ALS and their families across the country as the bill would authorize $89 million over five years to establish the first ever national ALS patient registry at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

We would like to thank the entire ALS community for their relentless outreach to Congress that led to today’s victory. It goes without saying that your Representatives have heard our message loud and clear - and they have responded!

In fact, during the debate, several Representatives took to the floor to praise the work of The ALS Association and the advocates who have shared their stories and put a face on the disease. They spoke about the individuals and families they met during The ALS Association’s Advocacy Day in Washington as well as those they have met back home in their districts. It is clear that the outreach of advocates at events like Advocacy Day demonstrated to Congress why the ALS Registry Act is so important to the fight for a treatment and cure.

Video footage of Congressman Eliot Engel’s remarks on the House floor is available here and the text of the debate that preceded the vote is available here.

As Members of Congress have repeatedly noted, people with ALS have a powerful story to tell and that is why the ALS Registry Act has passed the House of Representatives: Your stories, your experiences - and your outreach - make a difference! (more…)