Recently, the Karussis group and Brainstorm-Cell therapeutics completed an open lab phase 1/2 clinical trial evaluating the safety and feasibility of intrathecal injections of MSCs induced to secrete neurotrophic factors (BDNF, GDNF) (NurOwnTM) in 12 ALS patients (NCT01051882). The gene discussed is BDNF; the disease is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.