Biogen, Columbia to map ALS genes with ice bucket challenge funds

Biogen Inc. and Columbia University Medical Center will map the genes and clinical traits of 1,500 people with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in an attempt to find a treatment for the devastating neurodegenerative disorder.

The effort is being financed in part out of the $115 million the ALS Association raised last year in a fundraising campaign that had people dump buckets of ice water over their heads and challenge others to do the same.

A genetic map of the disease may help reveal the secrets of a disorder that’s not well understood, including how much a person’s genes contribute to the likelihood of developing ALS, said Tim Harris, Biogen’s senior vice president of precision medicine.

The biotechnology company has gone back to the lab bench and plans to start human trials of a new drug candidate by the end of the year, Donald Johns, Biogen’s head of ALS research, said in an e-mail.

The ALS Association, a nonprofit organization based in Washington, estimates that about $77 million of the Ice Bucket Challenge funds raised last year will be used for researching drugs, according to the group’s website.

The association plans to distribute funds broadly in early-stage research, while holding back some dollars to help propel any promising treatment through clinical trials, said Lucie Bruijn, the association’s chief scientist.