Research
ALS Association to support lithium trial
The ALS Association in the USA, along with the collaboration of the ALS Society of Canada, have announced that they are funding a major clinical trial to determine if lithium can slow disease progression in the early stages of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). ALS is the most common form of Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
The lithium trial is creating exciting waves in MND research and there is much hope that it could prove to be effective in slowing the progression of MND.
In May 2008, the results of a small Italian clinical trial of lithium were published. The researchers reported that lithium significantly slowed the progression of MND. However, these results have been greeted with caution by the international MND research community as the methods used in the trial had significant weaknesses making the results unreliable.
The new lithium trial, to be conducted in North America will follow correct and rigorous internationally-renowned clinical trial procedures to ensure that the results obtained are reliable and correct.
The combined trial will be a one year double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 84 people with ALS, who will either take lithium or the placebo. If the preliminary results seem promising, then the trial may be expanded to 250 people with ALS. People with ALS may be eligible to participate if they are within three years of their diagnosis and are not already taking lithium.
Plans for a European trial of lithium are underway. Therefore the locations and the start date are currently unknown. It will aim to test the long term safety of lithium as compared to the North American lithium trial which will be testing the short term effectiveness and safety of lithium.
It is necessary to conduct both of these trials due to the requirement to repeat experiments to ensure that the results obtained from both trials are correct. The results found will also be comparable and therefore will provide us with more data, quicker.
Use this link to the PharmaLive website to learn more about the ALS Association’s involvement in this lithium clinical trial.
In May 2008, the results of a small Italian clinical trial of lithium were published. The researchers reported that lithium significantly slowed the progression of MND. However, these results have been greeted with caution by the international MND research community as the methods used in the trial had significant weaknesses making the results unreliable.
The new lithium trial, to be conducted in North America will follow correct and rigorous internationally-renowned clinical trial procedures to ensure that the results obtained are reliable and correct.
The combined trial will be a one year double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 84 people with ALS, who will either take lithium or the placebo. If the preliminary results seem promising, then the trial may be expanded to 250 people with ALS. People with ALS may be eligible to participate if they are within three years of their diagnosis and are not already taking lithium.
Plans for a European trial of lithium are underway. Therefore the locations and the start date are currently unknown. It will aim to test the long term safety of lithium as compared to the North American lithium trial which will be testing the short term effectiveness and safety of lithium.
It is necessary to conduct both of these trials due to the requirement to repeat experiments to ensure that the results obtained from both trials are correct. The results found will also be comparable and therefore will provide us with more data, quicker.
Use this link to the PharmaLive website to learn more about the ALS Association’s involvement in this lithium clinical trial.
