Drug for rare form of Lou Gehrig’s disease OK’d by FDA

By MATTHEW PERRONE
AP Health Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health regulators have approved a first-of-a-kind drug for a rare form of Lou Gehrig’s disease. The Food and Drug Administration approved Biogen’s infused drug for patients with a rare genetic mutation that affects less than 500 people in the U.S. The drug is the first intended to treat an inherited form of ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which destroys nerve cells needed for basic functions. Tuesday’s approval came despite a company study that failed to meet its goal of significantly slowing the disease. The drug did make a difference on laboratory measures of ALS. The FDA is requiring additional research to confirm the drug’s benefit.