(Reuters) – Drugmaker AstraZeneca said on Friday its newly acquired Alexion division was halting a late-stage trial of its treatment for a rare neurological disorder called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
The decision follows a review by an independent panel, which recommended the trial be discontinued due to a lack of efficacy, AstraZeneca said.
ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, weakens muscles and causes nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord to break down, affecting physical function and leading to severe disability and death.
(Reporting by Aditi Sebastian in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri)
