Studies from R. Miller and co-authors have provided new information about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
2007 NOV 12 -- According to a study from the United States, "TCH346 exerts antiapoptotic effects by binding to glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and blocking the apoptotic pathway in which GAPDH is involved. Apoptosis is considered to be a key pathogenic mechanism in neurodegenerative diseases including ALS Patients were randomly assigned in a double-blind fashion to receive either placebo or one of four doses of TCH346 (1.0, 2.5, 7.5, or 15 mg/ day) administered orally once daily for at least 24 weeks." "The primary outcome measure was the rate of change in the revised ALS functional rating scale (ALSFRS-R). The trial design included a 16-week lead-in phase to determine each patient's rate of disease progression. The between treatment comparison was adjusted for the individual pretreatment rates of progression. The study was powered to detect a 25% reduction in the rate of decline of the ALSFRS-R as compared with placebo. Secondary outcome measures included survival, pulmonary function, and manual muscle testing (MMT) Five hundred ninety-one patients were enrolled at 42 sites in Europe and North America. There were no differences in baseline variables," wrote R. Miller and colleagues. The researchers concluded: "There were no significant differences between placebo and active treatment groups in the mean rate of decline of the ALSFRS-R or in the secondary outcome measures (survival, pulmonary function, and MMT) The trial revealed no evidence of a beneficial effect of TCH346 on disease progression in patients with ALS." Miller and colleagues published the results of their research in Neurology (Phase II/III randomized trial of TCH346 in patients with ALS. Neurology, 2007;69(8):776-784). For additional information, contact R. Miller, California Pacific Med Center, 2324 Sacramento St., 111, San Francisco, CA 94115, USA. The publisher of the journal Neurology can be contacted at: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 530 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106-3621, USA. Keywords: United States, San Francisco, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. This article was prepared by Pain & Central Nervous System Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2007, Pain & Central Nervous System Week via NewsRx.com.
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