'A gamechanger'. Western researchers reach breakthrough in ALS

A group of researchers at Western University has taken a giant step toward a potential treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

The school announced on Monday that the research team, led by Dr. Michael Strong, uncovered a breakthrough that shows how protein interactions can preserve or prevent the nerve cell death that causes the cruel, neurodegenerative disorder, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.

With a $10-million gift from the Temerty Foundation, the breakthrough paves the way for a possible clinical trial to begin within five years.

"As a doctor, it’s been so important for me to be able to sit down with a patient or their family and say to them, 'We're trying to stop this disease,'" said Strong. "It's been 30 years of work to get here, 30 years of looking after families and patients and their loved ones when all we had was hope. This gives us reason to believe we've discovered a path to treatment."

A study by Strong's team showed that targeting an interaction between two proteins in ALS-affected nerve cells could stop, or even reverse, the progression of the disease. The study's findings, and a mechanism for creating the interaction, were published in the journal "Brain".

"Importantly, this interaction could be key to unlocking a treatment not just for ALS but also for other related neurological conditions, like frontotemporal dementia," said Strong. "It is a game-changer."

The gift from the Temerty Foundation is the latest provided to Western University, bringing the total supporting neurodegenerative research to $18-million.

"Finding an effective treatment for ALS would mean so much to people living with this terrible disease and to their loved ones," said James Temerty, founder of Northland Power Inc. "Western is pushing the frontiers of ALS knowledge, and we are excited for the opportunity to contribute to the next phase of this groundbreaking research."

ALS, named after the Hall of Fame baseball player who was afflicted by it, attacks nerve cells responsible for muscle control, leading to muscle wastage, paralysis, and ultimately, death. The average life expectancy of a patient after diagnosis is two to five years.