ACTH FOR TREATMENT OF AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS

1 . A method of treating an individual diagnosed with, suspected of having, or predisposed to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), comprising administration of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) peptide, or fragment, analog, complex or aggregate thereof, or any combination thereof, to the individual in need thereof, wherein the ACTH peptide or fragment, analog, complex or aggregate thereof, or any combination thereof, is administered as a first dose and one or more subsequent doses.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ALS is sporadic ALS, or familial type ALS.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ACTH peptide or fragment, analog, complex or aggregate thereof, or any combination thereof, is administered in early stage ALS upon onset of muscle weakness in the limbs and/or slurred and nasal speech.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ACTH peptide or fragment, analog, complex or aggregate thereof, or any combination thereof, is administered upon detection of a mutation in the SOD1 gene.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first dose of ACTH peptide or fragment, analog, complex or aggregate thereof, or any combination thereof, comprises a dose between about 10 IU and about 150 IU, and the one or more subsequent doses of ACTH peptide or fragment, analog, complex or aggregate thereof, or any combination thereof, is administered about every day, about every 2 days, about every 5 days, about every week, about every two weeks, about every three weeks, about every month, about every two months, or any combination thereof.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first dose of ACTH peptide or fragment, analog, complex or aggregate thereof, or any combination thereof, comprises a dose between about 10 IU and about 150 IU, and the one or more subsequent doses of ACTH peptide or fragment, analog, complex or aggregate thereof, or any combination thereof, are between about 20%-80% of the first dose.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the doses of ACTH peptide or fragment, analog, complex or aggregate thereof, or any combination thereof, are administered every 2 days.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the doses of ACTH peptide or fragment, analog, complex or aggregate thereof, or any combination thereof, are administered every 7 days.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ACTH peptide or fragment, analog, complex or aggregate thereof, or any combination thereof, is a ACTH 1-39 peptide having the formula:

(SEQ ID NO: 1)

H-Ser-Tyr-Ser-Met-Glu-His-Phe-Arg-Trp-Gly-

   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9  10

Lys-Pro-Val-Gly-Lys-Lys-Arg-Arg-Pro-Val-

11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20

Lys-Val-Tyr-Pro-Asp-Gly-Ala-Glu-Asp-Gln-

21  22  23  24  25  26  27  28  29  30

Leu-Ala-Glu-Ala-Phe-Pro-Leu-Glu-Phe-OH

31  32  33  34  35  36  37  38  39

or a fragment, complex, aggregate, or analog thereof, or any combination thereof.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ACTH peptide or fragment, analog, complex or aggregate thereof, or any combination thereof, is a ACTH 1-13 peptide (alpha-MSH) having the formula:

(SEQ ID NO: 2)

H-Ser-Tyr-Ser-Met-Glu-His-Phe-Arg-Trp-Gly-

   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9  10

Lys-Pro-Val

11  12  13

or a fragment, complex, aggregate, or analog thereof, or any combination thereof;

a ACTH 1-24 peptide having the formula:

(SEQ ID NO: 3)

H-Ser-Tyr-Ser-Met-Glu-His-Phe-Arg-Trp-Gly-

   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9  10

Lys-Pro-Val-Gly-Lys-Lys-Arg-Arg-Pro-Val-

11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20

Lys-Val-Tyr-Pro

21  22  23   24

or a fragment, complex, aggregate, or analog thereof, or any combination thereof;

a ACTH 1-17 peptide having the formula:

(SEQ ID NO: 4)

H-Ser-Tyr-Ser-Met-Glu-His-Phe-Arg-Trp-Gly-

   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9  10

Lys-Pro-Val-Gly-Lys-Lys-Arg-

11  12  13  14  15  16  17

or a fragment, complex, aggregate, or analog thereof, or any combination thereof;

a ACTH 4-10 peptide of formula:

(SEQ ID NO: 5)

Met-Glu-His-Phe-Arg-Trp-Gly

 4   5   6   7   8   9  10

or a fragment, complex, aggregate, or analog thereof, or any combination thereof;

a ACTH 4-9 peptide analog of formula:

(SEQ ID NO: 6)

Met-Glu-His-Phe-D-Lys-Phe-OH

or a fragment, complex, aggregate, or analog thereof, or any combination thereof;

a fragment of formula:

(SEQ ID NO: 7)

Ac-Ser-Tyr-Ser-Met-Glu-His-Phe-Arg-Trp-Gly-Lys-

Pro-Val

or a fragment, complex, aggregate, or analog thereof, or any combination thereof;

a fragment of formula:

(SEQ ID NO: 8)

H-Ser-Tyr-Ser-Met-Glu-His-Phe-Arg-Trp-Gly-Lys-

Pro-Val

or a fragment, complex, aggregate, or analog thereof, or any combination thereof; or

a fragment of formula:

(SEQ ID NO: 9)

D-Ala-Gln-Tyr-Phe-Arg-Trp-Gly-NH 2

or a fragment, complex, aggregate, or analog thereof, or any combination thereof.

11 - 21 . (canceled)

22 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ACTH peptide or fragment, analog, complex or aggregate thereof, or any combination thereof, is administered intramuscularly.

23 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ACTH peptide or fragment, analog, complex or aggregate thereof, or any combination thereof, is administered subcutaneously.

24 . (canceled)

25 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ACTH peptide or fragment, analog, complex or aggregate thereof, or any combination thereof, is a porcine ACTH peptide or fragment, analog, complex or aggregate thereof, or any combination thereof.

26 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ACTH peptide or fragment, analog, complex or aggregate thereof, or any combination thereof, is a human ACTH peptide or fragment, analog, complex or aggregate thereof, or any combination thereof.

27 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ACTH peptide or fragment, analog, complex or aggregate thereof, or any combination thereof, is a recombinant ACTH peptide or fragment, analog, complex or aggregate thereof, or any combination thereof.

The method of claim 1 , further comprising administration of a second therapeutic agent selected from riluzole, ceftriaxone, methylcobalamine, Aeolus 10150, edaravone, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), insulin growth factor (IGF), Atorvastatin, Lithium carbonate, Avanier 07-ACR-123 (Zenvia®), SB-509, Talampanel, Thalidomide, Arimoclomol, Olanzapine, KNS-760704, memantine, tamoxifen, ONO-2506PO, MCI-186, pioglitazone, ALS-357, creatine monohydrate, TCH346, Botulinum toxin type B, tauroursodeoxycholic acid, Dronabinol, coenzyme Q10, YAM80, Olesoxime, escitalopram (Lexapro®), sodium phenylbutyrate, ISIS 333611, granulocyte stimulating factor, neuronal growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neutrophic factor (BDNF), neutrophin 3 (NT3), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), R(+) pramipexole dihydrochloride monohydrate, Sodium Valproate, AVP-923, sNN0029, Antithymocyte globulin, cyclosporin, corticosteroids, modafinil, or anti-CD40L, wherein the second therapeutic agent is administered sequentially or simultaneously.