Nucleic acid molecules targeting superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1)

1. An isolated double stranded nucleic acid molecule directed against superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) comprising an antisense strand and a sense strand, wherein the isolated double stranded nucleic acid molecule includes a double stranded region and a single stranded region, wherein the region of the molecule that is double stranded is 13, 14, or 15 nucleotides long, wherein the sense strand is 13, 14, or 15 nucleotides long, and wherein:

(i) the sense strand comprises SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 32, or SEQ ID NO: 122, and the antisense strand comprises SEQ ID NO: 61, SEQ ID NO: 91, or SEQ ID NO: 123;

(ii) the sense strand comprises SEQ ID NO: 4, SEQ ID NO: 34, or SEQ ID NO: 126, and the antisense strand comprises SEQ ID NO: 63 or SEQ ID NO: 93;

(iii) the sense strand comprises SEQ ID NO: 9, SEQ ID NO: 38, or SEQ ID NO:135, and the antisense strand comprises SEQ ID NO: 68, SEQ ID NO: 97, or SEQ ID NO: 136;

(iv) the sense strand comprises SEQ ID NO: 10 or SEQ ID NO: 39, and the antisense strand comprises SEQ ID NO: 69 or SEQ ID NO: 98; or

(v) the sense strand comprises SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 127 or SEQ ID NO: 137, and the antisense strand comprises SEQ ID NO: 64, SEQ ID NO: 128 or SEQ ID NO: 138.

2. The isolated double stranded nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 , wherein the isolated double stranded nucleic acid molecule further comprises a hydrophobic conjugate that is attached to the isolated double stranded nucleic acid molecule.

3. A composition comprising the isolated double stranded nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 .

4. The composition of claim 3 , further comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

5. The composition of claim 3 further comprising a second therapeutic agent.

6. A method for treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of the isolated double stranded nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 .