Commentary: Target Intestinal Microbiota to Alleviate Disease Progression in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also called Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a neuromuscular disease characterized by a progressive death of motor neurons and muscle atrophy. Most ALS patients die within 5 years of disease onset. Currently, treatment with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drug, Riluzole, merely extends the patient’s life span for a few months. For the second time in history, FDA has approved a new drug edaravone specifically for the treatment of ALS in May 8, 2017. There is still a need to develop new treatments for alleviating the disease progression and improving the lives of ALS patients.