STRATFORD, Conn., June 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ALS United Connecticut is accelerating progress in ALS research through continued investment and deepened national collaboration, reinforcing a shared commitment to advancing treatment, prevention, and understanding of the disease.
ALS United Connecticut, in partnership with the ALS Network, is proud to announce a second year of research funding for the Biotech company AUTTX, recognizing the company’s exceptional scientific progress and promising early results during its initial funding period. This follow-on investment reflects the organizations’ shared commitment to advancing bold, translational science with the potential to deliver meaningful new therapies for people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
“Transformative progress in ALS research only happens when urgency is matched with action,” said Jacky Rose, Executive Director at ALS United Connecticut. “Through collaboration, innovation, and sustained investment in promising science, we are helping pave the way toward meaningful advances for people and families affected by ALS.”
ALS United Connecticut’s funding supports the work of AUTTX to advance the development of new molecules that aim to restore normal RNA processing in people with ALS, potentially leading to new treatments for ALS.
The research will be led by AUTTX’s co-founders Isabelle Draper, PhD, who serves as the company’s chief scientific officer, and Alan S. Kopin, MD, its CEO. Draper leads a laboratory at Tufts Medical Center and is focused on studying alterations in RNA processing in animal models. Kopin, a professor emeritus at Tufts University School of Medicine, has been involved in research examining the abnormal processing of the Stathmin-2 protein due to TDP-43 dysfunction.
Through strategic funding and partnership, ALS United Connecticut is helping sustain momentum and ensure promising discoveries to move forward.
The first year of funding was provided by ALS United and the ALS Network through a collaborative Innovation Research Grant program. That program, facilitated by ALS Network, maximizes impact by streamlining infrastructure, reducing duplication, and directing more resources toward high-potential research.
“AUTTX demonstrated exceptional momentum, scientific rigor, and compelling proof-of-concept data during the first year of this award,” said Sheri Strahl, President and CEO of ALS Network. “We are thrilled to continue supporting this work alongside ALS United Connecticut as the team advances promising molecules toward the next stage of development. This is exactly the type of high-risk, high-reward translational science our organizations are committed to championing.”
Together, these efforts reflect a shared commitment to advancing research, strengthening care, and driving advocacy, ensuring continued progress and hope for people living with ALS and their loved ones.
Learn more at https://alsunitedct.org/research/our-approach/.
Media Contact: Paul Silverfarb, PSilverfarb@alsunitedct.org
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SOURCE ALS United
