|
 The decision came in after a review by an independent panel, which
recommended the trial be discontinued due to the lack of efficacy,
AstraZeneca said.
ALS, whose cause is largely unknown, weakens muscles and causes
nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord to break down, affecting
physical function and leading to severe disability and death. ALS
garnered international attention when New York Yankees player Lou
Gehrig abruptly retired from baseball in 1939 after being diagnosed
with the neurological disorder.
In 2014, the disease returned to the spotlight with the "Ice Bucket
Challenge", which involved people pouring ice-cold water over their
heads, posting a video on social media, and donating funds for
research on the condition, whose sufferers included late British
physicist Stephen Hawking.
"We are disappointed by this outcome and what it means for patients
with this devastating disease," said Alexion's Head of Development
and Safety Gianluca Pirozzi.
[to top of second column] |
 There are no treatments for the
underlying cause of the disease, and current
therapy focuses on slowing down the progression
of symptoms.
AstraZeneca shares were down about 1%, lagging a
flat FTSE 100, in morning trade.
AstraZeneca's $39 billion buyout of U.S.-based
rare diseases business Alexion closed last
month, and has beefed up its line of
rare-disease medicines.
(Reporting by Aditi Sebastian and Yadarisa
Shabong in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra
Eluri and Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
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