Tel Aviv, Nov. 14 -- A team of international scientists has made a groundbreaking discovery that could pave the way for an effective treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neurodegenerative disease long considered incurable, Tel Aviv University announced.

The findings, published this week in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Neuroscience, identify a previously unknown molecular mechanism that drives ALS and demonstrate a potential RNA-based gene therapy capable of stopping nerve degeneration and even regenerating damaged nerve cells.

ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease in which motor neurons gradually die, leading to muscle weakness, paralysis, and eventually respiratory failure. The disease does not have a...