Here you can find the latest MND research news from around the world. Stay tuned to find out about clinical trial outcomes, breakthroughs in the lab, interesting research papers and more.
Researchers suggest a link between air pollution and MND
20 January 2026
A new study, led by the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, has suggested that long-term exposure to higher levels of air pollution could be linked to the development and progression of MND. The researchers studied clinical data from 1463 people with MND and 9078 healthy people in Sweden and air pollution levels across the country for a period of 10 years before people were diagnosed with MND.
In this study, the researchers found an association between long-term exposure to higher air pollution levels and a small increased risk of developing MND. They also found an association between long-term exposure to higher air pollution and faster disease progression. These results were not found to be consistent across all subtypes of MND and further research is needed to understand more about how these associations might contribute to the development and progression of the disease.
Previous research into air pollution and MND has found conflicting results, and while this study adds to the evidence, strong conclusions about whether air pollution is linked to MND still can’t be made. It is known that the majority of cases of MND are likely to occur through a combination of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors and not any single factor alone. While exposure to high levels of air pollution may contribute, it’s unlikely to be the only factor involved in the development and progression of MND. You can read more about the results in the published paper.
Researchers make progress on development of blood test for MND
16 December 2025
Researchers from Brain Chemistry Labs in the US are developing a test using microRNAs from the blood to diagnose MND. MicroRNAs are small fragments of RNA that can help to control which genes are made into proteins in our cells. Previously, the researchers identified a unique ‘signature’ of 8 microRNAs that could be measured from processed blood samples and used to determine whether someone had MND. However, the processes required to prepare the blood samples for testing were time consuming, costly and needed lots of expertise, which was limiting how useful the technique could be for clinical use.
Now, the researchers have improved the process so that the test can be run more easily on blood samples, without additional processing. They tested the streamlined process on blood samples from 393 people who had been diagnosed with MND and 395 healthy controls, and found that the test was able to accurately identify MND samples from healthy samples 97% of the time.
The researchers are now working to understand how well the streamlined test is able to identify MND amongst other neurological diseases seen by neurologists in the clinic. Further research is also needed to understand whether the test can identify people with MND prior to diagnosis, as it has only been tested in people with a confirmed MND diagnosis so far. If the test is able to help to make the diagnosis of MND a faster process, this could allow people to access care and potential treatments for MND sooner. You can read more about the results in the published paper.
Pridopidine to be tested for MND in Phase 3 clinical trial
11 December 2025
The FDA have given clearance for a new Phase 3 trial of a drug called pridopidine. The trial, called the PREVAiLS trial, will recruit people with early-stage, rapidly progressing MND. Recruitment to the first sites in the US is expected in early 2026, with further international sites expected to follow once the necessary regulatory approvals have been obtained. The trial will recruit around 500 people with MND who are within 18 months of symptom onset. Over 48 weeks, participants will receive either pridopidine or a placebo (dummy drug). After the initial 48 weeks, everyone on the trial will receive pridopidine for a further 48 weeks. The trial will assess changes in ALSFRS-R score, as well as other outcomes such as speech, respiratory function, and survival.
Pridopidine was previously tested as part of the HEALEY platform trial. While the primary outcome was not met in that trial, further analyses of smaller subgroups showed improvements for people who were within 18 months of symptom onset. These results supported further testing in a Phase 3 clinical trial. You can read more about these subgroup results in a published paper.
Early-stage research investigates whether new drug, M102, can be protective in lab models of MND
11 November 2025
A group of researchers at the University of Sheffield’s Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), in collaboration with a biotech company called Aclipse Therapeutics, have developed a drug candidate for MND called M102. Previously, the researchers tested the effects of M102 in a mouse model of MND and they found that it showed signs of being protective towards motor neurons. Now, the researchers have released more early-stage data testing the effects of M102 in mouse and cell models of MND in the lab.
The researchers tested M102 in two different mouse models of MND and found that the drug appeared to protect motor neurons and delay the progression of MND in the mice. They also found that cells that were grown in the lab from people with MND were less harmful to motor neurons following treatment with M102. They found that the drug appears to target multiple pathways which are thought to drive neurodegeneration in MND. These findings suggest that M102 may be able to protect neurons in people with MND and paves the way for future studies that help to further understand the safety and potential effects of M102 as a therapeutic candidate for MND.
“This study builds on previous research funded by the MND Association and is a hopeful step forward at this early stage. In tests on mice and on cells in the lab, the drug appeared to protect nerve cells and slow MND progression by targeting several different biological processes at once, rather than just one. That could improve the chance of it being effective, but it also means safety checks are especially important as there may be a greater chance of unwanted or even damaging side effects. These findings are encouraging but there is still a long way to go before knowing if it will be effective in humans.”
-Dr Brian Dickie, MBE, Chief Scientist at the MND Association
You can read the publication here. Some of the samples used in this research came from Project AMBRoSIA, which has built one of the world’s largest collections of samples from people with MND. Funding from the Association was crucial for Project AMBRoSIA, which you can read more about in our blog here.
New trial of remote health monitoring for MND launches in the UK
07 November 2025
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with the University of Sheffield, has announced the launch of a new trial to investigate remote monitoring in MND. The DENIM trial, funded National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), aims to investigate if remote monitoring technology can remove barriers to using non-invasive ventilation (NIV) for MND. Due to advances in technology, clinicians can remotely monitor data from modern NIV machines in real time so that adjustments can be made quickly without the need to travel to a clinic. However, this is not currently used widely across the UK due to limited resources and expertise within NHS trusts. This trial is planned to run across 12 NHS trusts in the UK and is designed to see if a combination of remote monitoring and specialist training for clinicians can improve outcomes and quality of life for people with MND. It is hoped that this trial will provide the evidence needed to bring remote monitoring of NIV into routine NHS care so that everyone with MND can access this in the future. You can read more about this in a press release or find out more about the trial on our website.
Top-line results announced for the Phase 2a study of SPG302 for MND
04 November 2025
Spinogenix have announced top-line results from their Phase 2a study of SPG302 in 23 people with MND. Trial participants were given either SPG302 or a placebo (dummy drug) for 28 days, then all participants received the active treatment for a further 140 days. The trial found that SPG302, a once-a-day treatment taken in the form of a pill, was safe and well tolerated by people with MND. 82% of participants treated with SPG302 found that their rate of decline stabilised or improved at the end of the trial, as determined by ALSFRS-R scores. When compared to people with MND who were not in the trial, who are called historical controls, the trial participants showed a 76% slower rate of functional decline. Brain activity recordings showed improvements in brain patterns, which supported the observed improvements to functional decline. Biomarkers measured in the trial also helped to confirm that the drug works as thought within the body. The full results from the trial are expected to be announced at our International Symposium on ALS/MND in San Diego next month. You can read more in a press release.
SPG302 is a new drug that is designed to restore connections between neurons and muscles. This is a new type of regenerative therapy for MND, and these results pave the way for a larger clinical trial to test SPG302 in more people with MND.
New research suggests a link between traumatic brain injury and MND
03 October 2025
Researchers from the University of Glasgow have been investigating whether there is a link between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and developing MND. The researchers looked at health record data from over 85,000 adults in the UK who had a history of TBI and compared them to over 250,000 adults in the UK who had no history of TBI. They found that 69 people from the TBI group went on to develop MND and 81 in the group with no history of TBI developed MND. Using statistical analysis methods, the researchers found that people with a history of TBI were more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with MND compared to those without a history of TBI. However, this risk was only found to be higher for the 2 years following a TBI and no-long term increase in risk was found. The researchers suggested that TBI may actually be an early sign of MND rather than a cause of the disease. For example, before they are diagnosed, someone with the earliest stages of MND may be unsteady on their feet leading to a higher risk of falls and TBI. This study could indicate that TBI may be a very early sign of developing MND and provides evidence for a need for increased monitoring of people who have TBI in the years after. Further large-scale studies across the globe are needed in order to conclusively say whether there is a link between TBI and developing MND. You can read more here.
New research suggests there may be an autoimmune component to MND
02 October 2025
Researchers from the US, Denmark and Sweden have discovered that an autoimmune response might play a role in the development and progression of MND. An autoimmune response is when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells, leading to inflammation and cell damage. The researchers took blood samples from 40 people with MND and 28 healthy people and compared the activity of immune cells in the samples. They found that people with MND had higher levels of a type of immune cell, called a CD4+ T cell, which attacks a protein called C9orf72 that is found in neurons. They found that this autoimmune response happened in people with and without changes in the C9orf72 gene. In people with MND who had a change in the C9orf72 gene, this autoimmune response was found to be heightened. This suggests that the autoimmune response may be a common feature across sporadic and genetic forms of MND.
The researchers also found that there were differences in the activity of these T-cells in people with MND. Some people with MND were found to have higher levels of CD4+ cells which promoted inflammation and this was found to be linked to a shorter predicted survival time. Other people with MND were found to have high levels of these cells, but also had high levels of T cells that were anti-inflammatory, and these people were found to have longer predicted survival times. These anti-inflammatory T cells may help to prevent overactive responses of the immune system, prevent healthy cells from being damaged and slow disease progression. This research has opened up new avenues for the development of future treatments for MND, but further research is needed to understand how and why the autoimmune response happens and whether increasing levels of anti-inflammatory T cells might be an effective treatment strategy. You can read more here.
Coya Therapeutics announce the launch of a phase 2 trial testing COYA 302 for MND
23 September 2025
Coya Therapeutics have announced that a phase 2 trial testing COYA 302 for MND has been launched in the US. The trial will test a new combination treatment called COYA 302, which contains low dose Il-2 and a protein called CTLA-4 Ig. This was previously tested in a small open-label phase 1 study, meaning that everyone on the trial received the drug, and it was found to be safe and well-tolerated.
The potential treatment is designed to reduce inflammation in MND. Inflammation in the brain and spinal cord is thought to play a role in the progression of MND. It has been suggested that reducing inflammation in the brain may help to reduce the damage to motor neurons and slow the progression of the disease.
This phase 2 ALSTARS trial plans to test COYA 302 in up to 120 people with MND across the US. Those on the trial will be randomly selected to receive either one of two doses of COYA 302 or a placebo for 24 weeks. You can read more in a press release.
Raya Therapeutic compound to be tested in the EXPERTS-ALS platform
03 September 2025
A compound being developed by Raya Therapeutic has been selected to be tested as part of the EXPErimental medicine Route To Success in ALS (EXPERTS-ALS) platform. EXPERTS-ALS is a platform which aims to rapidly test drugs to assess their potential to slow MND progression, by measuring a marker of disease activity within the body, called neurofilament light chain (NfL). If the treatment is found to significantly reduce levels of NfL in the blood across the whole group of participants it suggests there are early signs of benefit and the drug should be priortised for further testing. Raya Therapeutic’s compound, which has shown promising signs in models of MND, has been tested in a Phase 2 trial for another disease so is known to be safe. Testing this drug in EXPERTS-ALS will help to determine if these promising signs seen in the lab are also seen in people with MND. You can read more here.
Trimetazidine to be tested in another clinical trial for MND
01 September 2025
Trimetazidine, an existing medication used to treat angina, is being tested in another trial to see if it could be beneficial to people with MND. The drug was previously tested in a phase 2 open label trial, meaning that everyone on the trial was taking the drug, in a small number of people with MND in Australia and the Netherlands. This trial found Trimetazidine to be safe and well tolerated and found signs that the drug reduced oxidative stress (which contributes to cell damage) and resting energy expenditure (the energy our bodies use when resting), which are both thought to be increased in MND. This new trial will test Trimetazidine in 150 people with MND across Australia, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and Italy to see if it may be beneficial for MND and whether it can improve function and quality of life. This new trial is expected to begin recruiting participants in early 2026. You can read more here.
New research study identifies blood-based test for MND
28 August 2025
Researchers from the National Institute of Health in the USA have identified a panel of 33 biomarkers that can be measured in the blood to detect MND. The researchers analysed blood samples from 231 people with MND, 170 people with other neurological diseases and 214 healthy people to look at changes in levels of proteins in the blood between the groups. They identified a panel of 33 proteins which were changed in people with MND compared to the other groups of people. They found that this panel of biomarkers, along with a computer model, was able to accurately determine whether the sample had come from someone with MND, someone with another neurological disease or a healthy person.
This study also discovered new proteins that change in the disease. These new proteins were found to be involved in energy metabolism, neuron and muscle function and health. The identification of new proteins involved in MND increases current understanding of the disease biology and may reveal new pathways to target with future therapies. Some of these new protein changes are thought to occur up to 10 years before symptoms of the disease begin and might be useful in detecting very early signs of disease in the future.
Further research is now underway to understand more about how the biomarker panel might be used to monitor disease progression, whether it could be used in the clinic and to uncover more about the proteins that have been found to change in MND. You can read more here.