Matteo Materazzi, husband of Sla, is reportedly immobile in his limbs.

Matteo Materazzi, husband of Sla, is reportedly immobile in his limbs.

In the world of ALS research, a significant development is underway, with personalized therapies showing promising results. One such case involves Matteo Materazzi, a former football player who has been battling ALS since September 2024.

Matteo's brother, Marco Materazzi, a former defender of Inter's Treble-winning team and world champion with Italy in 2006, has been a constant source of support. Despite a complicated past, the two have been speaking daily since Matteo's illness.

Maura Soldati, Matteo's wife, has launched a fundraising campaign to raise an additional 1.5 million dollars for Matteo's personalized therapy. This campaign has already garnered significant attention, with a "very special" donor contributing 50,000 euros alone.

The only hope for a cure for Matteo's ALS lies in creating a personalized therapy for the rare mutation affecting him. Current research into personalized therapies for ALS with rare mutations is progressing notably, focusing on gene and cell therapies that modulate protein expression in neuronal cells.

One promising approach involves increasing the accumulation of a functional protein with neuroprotective effects in these cells. Sineugene Therapeutics has developed SNUG01, a gene therapy that delivers the TRIM72 gene encoded for a protein with neuroprotective properties that counteract several ALS disease mechanisms. SNUG01 has shown early signs of efficacy and safety in investigator-initiated trials in China, including disease stabilization in rapidly progressing patients.

BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics’ NurOwn, a stem cell therapy, is another candidate showing significant functional improvements and a median survival benefit of 6.8 years in treated ALS patients during extended access programs. Klotho Neurosciences’ KLTO-202 gene therapy also holds promise, delivering genetic instructions to produce a protein that may reduce inflammation in ALS, particularly beneficial for patients with rare ALS mutations.

The search for a cure is challenging due to the functional role of the protein that accumulates in Matteo's neuronal cells. Funds are needed to accelerate the race against time for finding a therapy for ALS. The costs for advanced gene and cell therapy trials typically range in the tens to hundreds of millions of dollars, but the exact amounts required for such personalized ALS research are not detailed.

However, the FDA’s orphan drug designations, along with ongoing and planned clinical trials, imply that substantial funds are being secured or sought from a combination of private biopharmaceutical investment, government grants, and potentially patient advocacy group support.

Matteo's sons, Jeremiah and Gianfilippo, have a 15-20% chance of developing the same ALS mutation that affects their father. The fundraising campaign is not only intended to save Matteo's life, but also to aid future ALS patients.

Several anonymous figures in the world of football have donated to the campaign. Matteo's social media post emphasizes the importance of concrete action in supporting ALS research. He stresses that while there is potential for a therapy for ALS, it needs to be found.

In just three days, the campaign has collected 200,000 euros. Everyone's help can be fundamental in the fight against ALS, not just for Matteo Materazzi, but to fight the disease in general. The campaign is a testament to the power of community support in the quest for a cure.

1. The development in ALS research is focused on personalized therapies, with a case study involving Matteo Materazzi, a former football player battling ALS since September 2024.
2. Marco Materazzi, a former Inter defender and world champion, is providing constant support to Matteo, despite a complicated past.
3. Maura Soldati, Matteo's wife, launched a fundraising campaign to raise an additional 1.5 million dollars for Matteo's personalized therapy, with a significant donor contributing 50,000 euros alone.
4. Sineugene Therapeutics' SNUG01, a gene therapy that delivers the TRIM72 gene, is one promising approach showing early signs of efficacy and safety for ALS patients with rare mutations.
5. BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics’ NurOwn and Klotho Neurosciences’ KLTO-202 gene therapy are also showing significant improvements and potential benefits for ALS patients, particularly those with rare ALS mutations.
6. Funding for advanced gene and cell therapy trials is crucial to find a cure for ALS, with costs ranging in the tens to hundreds of millions of dollars.
7. Everyone's help can be fundamental in the fight against ALS, as the fundraising campaign for Matteo Materazzi demonstrates the power of community support in the quest for a cure for all ALS patients.

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