Riluzole

Riluzole is the first and only drug to be licensed for the treatment of MND. It is approved for use on the NHS. It is not a cure for MND, but it is the only medicine available to show a modest impact on survival for people with MND.

Riluzole is thought to work by suppressing glutamate activity (a chemical messenger in the central nervous system). Glutamate is released in nerve impulse transmissions. Excess glutamate has been shown to cause brain and spinal cord nerve damage.