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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis – ALS Mouse Models

Explore our advanced preclinical ALS mouse models, crucial for preclinical efficacy studies and understanding disease mechanisms

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Your Preclinical Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Research with InnoSer

✓   Behavioral & Cognitive Tests

✓   Smart Pathological Assessments

✓   Fast Study Initiation

✓   Tailored Study Designs

✓   Dedicated Research Co-oridnators

Looking for more details about our preclinical ALS CRO services?

Your ALS Research Starts Here.

View study timelines, recommended readouts, and example data featuring behavioral across different ALS mouse models.

ALS sample data leaflet download preclinical mouse models of ALS

InnoSer’s Available ALS Mouse Models

In Vitro Neurology Assays

Screen your lead candidate compounds using InnoSer’s in vitro neurology assays to progress to preclinical in vivo studies with confidence

European based preclinical CRO offering MPTP - Parkinson's Disease mouse models for drug development

SOD1-G93A Transgenic ALS Mouse Model

InnoSer offers unique behavioral research services with the SOD1-G93A transgenic mouse model.

European based preclinical CRO offering MPTP - Parkinson's Disease mouse models for drug development

TDP-43 Transgenic Mouse Model

InnoSer offers services with several different transgenic TDP-43 mouse models that replicate the TDP-43 proteinopathy in ALS and FTD patients.

Don’t See Your Model? We Can Help!

Our experts specialize in tailored solutions to meet your unique research needs. Let’s discuss how we can support your project.

The People Behind Your Research

Sofie Carmans, PhD

Sofie Carmans, PhD

Principal Scientist Neurology

Thomas Vogels, PhD

Thomas Vogels, PhD

Principal Scientist Neurology

Struggling with getting your therapeutics across the blood-brain-barrier?

Discover how SonoCloud® ultrasound-mediated BBB disruption can improve brain uptake — without altering your compound.

Example image highlighting blood-brain barrier opening following sonication of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPU) and intravenously administered microbubbles (MB) in mouse brain (figure shared with permission from original paper   Ahmed et al., 2023)

Stay Curious: More Articles to Explore

Elevated plasma neurofilament light chain (NfL) was detected as early as 5 weeks, preceding overt motor symptoms and confirming early neuronal injury. Compound muscle action potential (CMAP) reductions confirmed peripheral motor axon loss from 7 weeks. Progressive deficits spanning rotarod, inverted grid, weightlifting, and CatWalk gait analysis were observed across all timepoints, with the most pronounced phenotype at 8 months. These data support the TDP-43 Q331K model as a suitable preclinical platform for evaluating disease-modifying therapies in ALS and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

Your ALS Research Starts Here.

This poster provides longitudinal phenotypic characterization of female TDP-43(Q331K) mice from 4 weeks to 8 months of age.

Frequently Asked Questions

How are ALS mouse models used in preclinical research?

ALS mouse models are essential tools for evaluating the efficacy of potential therapeutics before they advance to clinical trials. Briefly, following lead compound identification, promising candidates typically undergo in vitro testing to evaluate and confirm their mechanism of action, potency, target engagement, and potential off-target effects.  

Compounds that demonstrate favourable activity in vitro then typically progress onto in vivo studies, where the tolerability, efficacy, and safety of the compounds are further evaluated. In vivo studies typically involve transgenic mouse models that carry mutations that have been previously linked to be causative of human ALS pathophysiology, such as the SOD1-G93A mouse model or the TDP-43Q331K mouse model. These models, combined with translational readouts, help reproduce key aspects of human ALS disease pathophysiology, making them highly relevant for preclinical efficacy studies. 

In turn, preclinical efficacy studies in ALS mouse models provide you with critical translational data to help inform clinical trial design, optimize therapeutic dosing and administration routes, and de-risk your drug development pipeline. 

As a preclinical neurology CRO specialized in multiple neurodegenerative disorders, including ALS, InnoSer frequently validates new disease models. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date with our preclinical ALS research.

What ALS mouse model should I choose for my research?

Choosing the right ALS mouse model depends on your research goals, target pathways, your compound’s mechanism of action (MoA), and therapeutic development strategy. For example, if your compound targets SOD1, one of the most common mutations, accounting for ~20% of familial ALS cases (5–10% of total ALS), the well-established and most frequently used SOD1-G93A may the most suitable model for your research.  

InnoSer currently performs research in transgenic ALS mouse models focusing on different aspects of ALS disease pathophysiology, including the SOD1-G93A and TDP-43Q331K. While the majority of preclinical ALS studies have historically relied on SOD1-based models, translation to the clinic has been limited, and there are still no widely used models for other genetic subtypes of ALS (e.g., C9orf72, FUS, PFN1, or TBK1). To help address this need, at InnoSer, we frequently collaborate with our partners on the co-development and validation of novel, mutation-specific ALS models to enable more precise and translational preclinical testing.  

Reach out to us to discuss the most suitable ALS mouse model for your research.  

How is motor unit degeneration assessed in preclinical ALS mouse models?

In preclinical ALS mouse models, motor unit degeneration can be evaluated using a combination of functional (behavioral), electrophysiological, and histological readouts.  

One of the most translationally relevant methods to assess motor unit integrity is the nerve conduction study (NCS), an electromyography (EMG) tool used as a standard diagnostic and disease monitoring tool in ALS patients. In mice, electrophysiological recordings are performed on the sciatic nerve using needle electrodes. Compound muscle action potential (CMAP) measures the number and integrity of functional motor units, whereby a lower CMAP response indicates fewer functional motor units. Nerve conduction velocity (NCV) measures the speed and nerve signal propagation, serving as a proxy marker for nerve myelination. Slower NCV indicates peripheral nerve damage. 

Complementary assessments include behavioral assays (e.g., Rotarod, balance beam, CatWalk, and spontaneous behavior recorded via automated home-cage monitoring), which track progressive motor impairments.

Histological analyses (e.g., spinal cord motor neuron counts, neuromuscular junction integrity, and muscle fiber morphology) provide anatomical confirmation of functional decline.  

Contact our team to discuss which combination of functional, electrophysiological, and biomarker endpoints best captures your compound’s mechanism of action in ALS mouse models. 

Why should I choose InnoSer as my partner CRO for preclinical ALS mouse model research?

As a preclinical ALS CRO, InnoSer combines scientific expertise, innovation, and tailored services to support your studies. Key benefits of partnering with InnoSer for your neurodegenerative research include: 

  • Access to an innovative research neuroscience platform, including behavioural assays, including classical behavioural assays and advanced assays (such as 24/7 behavioural assessment of 115 types of spontaneous mouse behaviour in an automated home-cage without human disruption), combined with robust statistical data analysis 
  • Focus on translational ALS readouts, including nerve conduction studies and biomarker plasma NfL quantification  
  • Flexible study start-up timelines to fit your budget and research needs 
  • Collaborative study design and hands-on support from dedicated neurology study directors 
  • Co-development of new ALS models tailored to your specific research requirements 

Contact us to discuss how partnering with InnoSer can accelerate your preclinical ALS program now.