Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis sector lacks new and effective treatment options

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is the most common type of motor neuron disease (MND), yet the therapeutics market is woefully inadequate, states a new report by health care experts GlobalData.

ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s or Charcot disease, accounts for around 80% of all motor neuron cases worldwide. The progressive neurodegenerative disease causes the impairment and eventual death of the motor neurons in the spinal cord, brainstem, and motor cortex, which are responsible for communication between the nervous system and voluntary muscles. As motor neurons die, the brain loses the ability to control muscle action, progressively hindering voluntary movement, with patients in late stages of the disease sometimes becoming totally paralyzed. Disease progression and patient survival varies, but only 10% of those diagnosed with ALS live beyond a decade.

Patient numbers are set to rise, due to a growing elderly population and increasing disease awareness. Current treatment options are limited to off-label medications that offer symptomatic relief, and Sanofi’s Rilutek (riluzole), the only approved disease-modifying treatment for ALS.