But it would almost certainly have to be partially funded outside of Cephalon. Abendroth says that many of the field's top neurologists feel the drug is significantly helpful in treating ALS and are frustrated with both the FDA and Cephalon. But Abendroth is still very hopeful about the progress of ALS research in general. Among the biggest advances has been a virtual explosion in brain technology, especially in the form of robotic tools that allow researchers to do brain research that could not have been done three or four years ago. The key is getting the funding to use these new tools.
People now have an opportunity to get the very best treatment available.
Abendroth also reports that exciting news is due out today about a new animal model for ALS using fruit flies which are faster breeding and have a shorter life span than the traditional mouse model. This fruit fly model could help speed research efforts to indicate which potential treatments are best for human trials, thereby allowing drug makers to develop new ALS medicines faster and with less financial risk. Cure ALS Initiative headed by Tom Maniatis, the noted Harvard University researcher who pioneered the development of gene cloning methods. Maniatis's sister died of ALS last year. I really do believe we will have a breakthrough in the foreseeable future.