Aquinnah Pharma gets $0.5m frants from ALS Association

Aquinnah will use the grants to advance the development of lead compounds focusing on the pathophysiology of TDP-43, found in approximately 90% of cases of ALS.

ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Eventually, people with ALS lose the ability to initiate and control muscle movement, which often leads to total paralysis and death within two to five years of diagnosis.

There is no cure, and only one drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) modestly extends survival.

"It is a great privilege to direct donor dollars toward some of the most promising research being conducted by the world’s top scientists seeking a cure for ALS," said Lucie Bruijn, Ph.D., M.B.A., Chief Scientist for the ALS Association.

"We are proud to support the pioneering drug development efforts at Aquinnah Pharmaceuticals."

Glenn Larsen, Ph.D., President and CEO of Aquinnah Pharmaceuticals said, "We are very pleased to join the ALS Association in our common goal of advancing new treatments for ALS. These grants will help to move our TDP-43 drug discovery program closer to clinical development."