CLINICAL-STUDIES OF RILUZOLE IN AMYOTROPHIC-LATERAL-SCLEROSIS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal degenerative disease of the anterior horn cells. Most therapeutic agents used in its treatmen t have failed to show substantial benefit. Riluzole is the first drug that has been shown to improve survival in patients with ALS. This rev iew analyzes the clinical trials of riluzole in patients with ALS and interprets the results and their implications. Relevant questions and/ or issues arising from these trials are posed, and their probable solu tions, as well as areas of clinical trial methodology which require ev aluation and development, are discussed.