As per reports, it has been recently revealed that Biogen Idec was unable to get through the last clinical trial of its ALS drug. Researchers have acknowledged the loss by saying that it was not only shocking but discouraging as well.

Dr. Robert Brown, who is an ALS researcher, was of the view that they have worked hard on the drug, but they failed a crucial test. However, this does not mean that no more research will take as the disease needs an effective treatment.

While talking about the last and final clinical trial, which could not attain success, Brown said that they had enrolled 943 people, who were suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. They were enrolled to test the efficacy of their once-promising dexpramipexole drug.

After carrying out the study, Brown said that they did not find any sort of benefit from the drug. And, then only, they decided to halt the programme. "While these results were not what we expected, we hope this data will provide a foundation for future ALS research", said Dr. Douglas Kerr, who is the director of neurodegeneration clinical research at Biogen.

The failure does not mark an end to the research, said Kerr, as they still have been working on it.