AFTD attended the 2024 Target ALS Meeting on May 7-9 in Boston, Massachusetts. There were over 800 people who attended the meeting in-person or virtually. Attendees were comprised of scientific stakeholders from academia, industry, venture capital firms, nonprofit organizations and individuals with lived experience of the disease.

Researchers utilized the forum to share scientific breakthroughs and establish new collaborations. The opportunities provided by the meeting and the Target ALS organization are focused on various aspects related to accelerating ALS drug development. Many studies described during the meeting highlighted the overlapping features of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and FTD. Researchers covered studies on the C9orf72 mutation which is associated with the onset of both ALS and FTD symptoms. Discussions highlighted the translatability and positive impact that ALS innovation will have on FTD research. In turn, these scientific advances continue to provide hope that we will one day achieve successful FTD drug development.