AB Science announced that new mechanistic data demonstrate the unexpected protective effect of masitinib on muscles and nerves in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. These new data complete the following previous findings: The preclinical data demonstrating the inhibiting effect of masitinib on microglial cells and survival prolongation in post-paralytic SOD1G93A rats; and the clinical data from the phase 2/3 interim analysis showing the positive effect of masitnib on the functional score ALSFRS-R, which is a rating instrument for monitoring the progression of disability in patients with ALS and which correlates significantly with quality-of-life and survival. Masitinib has been shown to generate protective effects in the sciatic nerve: strong upregulation of CSF1 and IL-34 in the degenerating sciatic nerve has been observed for the first time; a high infiltration of macrophages and a moderate infiltration of mast cells was also observed in the degenerating sciatic nerve; masitinib was seen to delay motor axon degeneration in the sciatic nerve; masitinib reduces pathological changes in the sciatic nerve, with a sharp decrease of inflammatory and infiltrates of CSF1R-expressing macrophages and c-Kit expressing mast cells. Masitinib has been shown to generate protective effects at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). It is at the NMJ that the nerve fiber is able to transmit a signal to the muscle fiber, causing muscle contraction: Masitinib was seen to delay NMJ denervation in fast skeletal muscles; and Masitinib reduces pathological changes in the NMJ, with a decrease of inflammatory cells in these muscles.