Research network The ALS Research Center at Umeå University and University Hospital of Northern Sweden, Region Västerbotten, was established in 1993 and the associated researchers are in close collaboration with the clinical ALS team responsible for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) . The research on ALS includes basic laboratory research and clinical studies, as well as pharmaceutical studies conducted in collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry.
Listen to the researchers and neurologists Peter Andersen and Karin Forsberg talk about the promising results shown in a Swedish ALS patient with a familial SOD1 mutation participating in the pharmaceutical company Biogen’s phase 3-study on the gene therapy drug tofersen.
The patient in question has left written consent to participation in this publication. The family has expressed a strong wish to have their privacy respected. Other family members have died in ALS (none participated in the study). Other patients, who participated in earlier tofersen studies and were given either a lower dose or placebo, have died. The decision to make this public was taken independently of the pharmaceutical company Biogen.
Read more about our research and current pharmaceutical trials here.
Here you can find all press images connected to ALS Research Umeå available through Mynewsdesk.
Potential conflicts of interest
Karin Forsberg is a specialist neurologist at the neurology clinic, University hospital of Northern Sweden, and researcher at the Department of Clinical Sciences, Neurosciences unit, at the Medical Faculty at Umeå University. She is the main and co-investigator in pharmaceutical trials sponsored by Amylyx, Biogen, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, PTC-Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi and ITB-Med.
Peter Andersen is a Wallenberg Clinical Scholar, chief neurologist at the neurology clinic, University hospital of Northern Sweden, and professor at the Department of Clinical Sciences, Neurosciences unit, at the Medical Faculty at Umeå University. He is the main investigator for the pharmaceutical trials VALOR and ATLAS sponsored by Biogen, and has since 2014 received fees from participation in advisory committees. The fees have been payed either to his employer Umeå University or him as a private citizen. He is also the main investigator for several other ALS pharmaceutical trial sponsored by competitors of Biogen. He is also a payed advisor to the European Medicines Agency, EMA.
The ALS Research Network is primarily here for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and their next of kin, and we hope that our work will lay the groundwork for new, effective treatments to slow ALS disease progression. We believe that the key to progress is close collaboration spanning diverse fields of expertise.
Our research depends on support from, and collaboration with, members and institutions across society, including patients and their close ones, universities, health care providers, patient organisations, pharmaceutical companies, and politicians – in Sweden, in the EU, and across continents.
Researchers at Umeå University report a breakthrough in the research on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Karin Forsberg and Per Zetterström receive funding at the first award from the Börje Salming ALS Foundation.
A unique type of eye muscle fibers is resistant against ALS, and can compensate for other muscle fibers.
Blood tests may enable more accurate diagnosis of ALS at an earlier stage of the disease, according to study.
The discovery can open up for novel pharmaceutical developments in the future.
Researchers at Umeå University report a breakthrough in the research on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
A unique type of eye muscle fibers is resistant against ALS, and can compensate for other muscle fibers.
Blood tests may enable more accurate diagnosis of ALS at an earlier stage of the disease, according to study.
