While it is not a cure, RILUTEK is the first and only FDA-approved treatment
for people with ALS. Neurologists and other doctors in the U.S. have used
it for more than 13 years.
If you have ALS, RILUTEK can give you more time. This extra time may offer
you and your loved ones the chance to adjust to the news and prepare for the
future, while still being able to plan events and activities with those who
matter most to you.
In medical studies, people who took RILUTEK lived an average of 2-3 months
longer than people who took a placebo (sugar pill). However, after 18 months
of treatment, there was no difference between those who took RILUTEK and those
who took a placebo. What this means is that, in clinical trials, RILUTEK offered
a survival benefit early in ALS treatment.
For those people who took RILUTEK, compared to those who took a sugar pill, there
was a longer time between starting treatment and the need for a tracheostomy.
This surgical procedure creates an opening in a patient’s windpipe to allow access
to a machine to help with breathing. People with ALS usually get this procedure as
their disease progresses.
How RILUTEK may work in the body
No one knows exactly how ALS affects the body. Research is helping to improve
our understanding. The following may be one explanation.
The human body naturally produces a chemical called glutamate. This chemical helps
control the motor neurons—the messengers that go from the brain to the muscle. In ALS,
glutamate may build up to very high levels. Too much exposure to glutamate may injure
or "burn out" nerve cells so they cannot work.
RILUTEK may protect nerve cells from exposure to too much glutamate by decreasing
the release of glutamate in the body.
How RILUTEK may work for you
There may be benefits to starting RILUTEK treatment as soon as possible. You may
not notice an improvement in your condition while taking RILUTEK, however clinical
studies have shown that people who took RILUTEK lived for a longer time or had a
longer time before needing a tracheostomy.
To ensure that you are receiving the full benefit of treatment, take RILUTEK
exactly as your doctor tells you to. Please talk to him or her if you have any
questions or concerns about your treatment.