New Treatment to Slow Down the Progression of ALS

Telbivudine had potential to decrease the progression of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS) by targeting SOD1 protein

Telbivudine, the drug used to treat hepatitis, identified to lower the progression of ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease, according to new research done by University of Alberta biologists.

Current treatments slow progression of the degenerative disease by only a few months, and these findings could revolutionize the treatment of patients suffering from ALS, extending and improving quality of life.

‘Telbivudine, the old drug used in the treatment of hepatitis, repurposed for a new indication-ALS’
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Telbivudine, targets a protein that misfolds and does not function correctly in patients with ALS. "SOD1 is a protein that is known to misfold and misbehave in most cases of patients with ALS," explained Ted Allison, associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and co-author on the study.

"We showed that telbivudine can greatly reduce the toxic properties of SOD1, including improving the health of the subject's motor neurons and improving movement."

The research team used computer simulations to identify drugs with the potential for targeting the SOD1 protein. From this shortlist, the scientists identified and tested the most likely candidates--including telbivudine--using animal models.

Antiviral Drug Telbivudine Prevents Transmission of Hepatitis B Virus During Pregnancy
Telbivudine eliminated vertical transmission of HBV from pregnant women to their infants, and it is also safe and well tolerated by mother and child.

"ALS is not well-understood," said lead author Michele DuVal, who recently completed the PhD portion of the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry's MD/PhD program under the supervision of Allison.

"We don't yet know exactly what goes wrong first in the motor neurons or how the misbehaving SOD1 causes toxicity. Because there is still much to learn about the disease, the ALS research community focuses on both understanding ALS and on developing promising therapies."

The discovery of telbivudine as a potential treatment is particularly exciting because the drug is already in use for treating patients with hepatitis. "It is already proven safe to use in patients, and it has very good potential for repurposing to use in a new clinical setting against ALS," said Allison.

This research was made possible through the generous contributions of donors to the Faculty of Science. "Support for research allows the scientific community to continue to take risks and make breakthroughs like this one," added DuVal.

Source-Eurekalert