In a small, U.S.-based Phase 2 clinical trial, patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) who took an asthma medication called clenbuterol for six months saw their disease progression slowed, according to a story in ALS News Today.
The story, published July 25, said more than half of the study’s participants withdrew from the study because of the medication’s side effects. “Nonetheless, this pilot trial provides valuable data for clenbuterol dosing, tolerability, and safety,” the study’s authors said. “A large-scale clinical trial is now warranted to determine its potential efficacy.”
The results of the trial were published in the Journal of Clinical Neuromuscular Disease. The study is called “Clenbuterol Treatment Is Safe and Associated with Slowed Disease Progression in a Small Open-Label Trial in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.”
The report added that clenbuterol is used to treat asthma outside the United States — it is not approved for use that use in the U.S. — and is known for its muscle-strengthening and neuroprotective effects, which could be why the medication slows the progression of ALS.
Participants took 40 to 80 micrograms twice daily for 24 weeks. General side effects reported by the National Library of Medicine for ALS patients taking clenbuterol included tremor and headache.
