What the trial was testing
The trial enrolled 176 patients with als. The study was sponsored by Biogen and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.
It was an early-stage trial — researchers are still confirming safety and getting an early look at how well the treatment works. Trials at this stage are designed to produce evidence regulators and physicians can act on — not just observations to follow up later.
What the results showed
The highest dose of tofersen reduced SOD1 protein levels in spinal fluid by 33%.
The New England journal of medicine · 2020 · NCT02623699
These findings — that the highest dose lowered harmful SOD1 protein in spinal fluid — were published in the The New England journal of medicine and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 176 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.
What this means for patients
For patients with als, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.
What you can do now
This was a safety testing study (Phase 1-2) and tofersen was not yet FDA-approved at the time. The drug has since been approved by the FDA in 2023 for adults with ALS caused by SOD1 mutations. If you have SOD1-related ALS, ask your doctor whether tofersen might be right for you.
Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.
Open als trials
A Registered Cohort Study on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a kind of motor neuron degeneration disorder without effective therapy. This registered cohort study will provide further insights into the clinical course of ALS, and investigate disease-relative risk factors and the genetic background of Chinese ALS patients.
A Clinical Trial to Evaluate NB-4746 in Participants With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.
The purpose of this trial is to learn about the effects of NB-4746 compared with placebo in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The questions this trial aims to answer in comparing NB-4746 to placebo are: * What adverse events associated with taking NB-4746 are reported during this trial? (An adverse event is any sign or symptom that participants have during a trial. Adverse events may or may not be caused by treatments in the trial.) * How does NB-4746 move into, through, and out of the body of the participants? * What is the change in the level of neurofilament light (NfL) in the participants' blood? (NfL is a marker used to measure the extent of damage to the nerve cells.) This trial has 2 parts. The trial doctors will start Part A before starting Part B of the trial. Participants have an option to enter the open label extension after completing Part A or Part B. Part A: Participants will be randomly placed into 1 of the 3 groups. There are equal chances to be assigned to either group. Group 1: Participants will receive NB-4746 capsules at a low dose to take by mouth twice daily for 1 month. Group 2: Participants will receive NB-4746 capsules at a high dose to take by mouth twice daily for 1 month. Group 3: Participants will receive placebo capsules to take twice daily for approximately 1 month. Part B: Participants will be randomly placed into 1 of the 2 groups. There are equal chances to be assigned to either group. Group 1: Participants will receive NB-4746 capsules at a dose determined by Part A to take by mouth twice daily for 12 weeks. Group 2: Participants will receive placebo capsules to take twice daily for approximately 12 weeks. None of the participants, trial doctors, or trial staff will know which treatment the participants will receive during Part A or B. Some trials are done this way because knowing what treatment the participants receive can affect the results of the trial. Doing a trial this way helps to make sure that the results are looked at with fairness across all treatments. Open-Label Extension: Upon the completion of Part A or Part B, the doctor will verify the participant's willingness to continue receiving study treatment. This open label extension continues until each participant completes up to 1 year of treatment. The trial doctors will check participants' ALS and general health throughout the trial.