ALS Drug Funded By Pete Frates' Ice Bucket Challenge Gets FDA Approval

BEVERLY, MA — A amyotrophic lateral sclerosis drug, which was advanced through a study funded in part by Pete Frates' Ice Bucket Challenge, received Federal Drug Administration approval on Thursday as a treatment for the neurodegenerative disease commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

Frates, a Beverly native and St. John's Prep and Boston College alumnus, co-founded the Ice Bucket Challenge in 2014 as a way to generate awareness of ALS and raise money to find a cure after he was diagnosed with the disease in 2012 when he was 27 years old. Frates died in 2019 — at which time the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge had already raised more than $200 million.

"Prayers Answered!," Nancy Frates, Pete's mother, posted on Facebook on Thursday upon the FDA's announcement. "Thank you, Pete."

"And this is why you poured ice water on your head in 2014!" the Team Frate Train page in support the Strike Out ALS Campaign proclaimed. "THANK YOU!! Now we need to keep it going — please stay with us!"

Cambridge-based Amylyx Pharmaceuticals Inc. developed the drug called Relyvrio, the use of which the FDA found resulted in "a slower rate of decline on a clinical assessment of daily functioning compared to those receiving a placebo. Additionally, longer overall survival was observed in a post hoc, long-term analysis of patients who originally received Relyvrio versus those who originally received a placebo."

"This approval provides another important treatment option for ALS, a life-threatening disease that currently has no cure," said Billy Dunn, M.D., director of the Office of Neuroscience in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, in an FDA statement. "The FDA remains committed to facilitating the development of additional ALS treatments."

The approval came the day after Frates' legacy was honored at this year's Bourque Family Foundation Captain's Ball. The event was held at Big Night Live next to TD Garden on Wednesday night.

"He has proved to us that with passion and dedication, you can make an impact," Boston Bruins legend Ray Bourque said of Frates ahead of the Captain's Ball. "With this event, we will continue to build on Pete's legacy and fight for the cause he gave his life to."

Endicott College has a special commitment to ALS as Nancy Frates serves on the college's Board of Trustees. A freshman residence hall is named after Peter Frates.

"While we gather here in support of ALS research and awareness, we acknowledge that we are doing so because of the outsized legacy of a true leader, hero, advocate, and a native son of Beverly, Pete Frates," said Endicott College President Steven R. DiSalvo at the school's 6th annual Ice Bucket Challenge in 2022..

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)