GoALS: Accelerating Breakthroughs in ALS
An integrated research and clinical platform turning discovery into treatments for ALS and related motor neuron diseases
GoALS
GoALS unites genetics, advanced disease models, biomarkers, and clinical trials into one end-to-end ecosystem to delivertangible solutions for ALS, PLS, and PSMA – all under one roof.
Backed by the ALS Centre Netherlands, the ALS Patient Association, and the ALS Foundation Netherlands, GoALS is part of a nationally coordinated effort – with a large sum already committed by Stichting ALS NL to accelerate impact.
What GoALS Is
We are a large ALS research program and European integrator based at the ALS Research Centre in the Netherlands, with leading scientists and full array of translational capabilities.
What GoALS Does
We connect cutting-edge research from genetics and disease modeling to clinical trials in a program-based approach to accelerate breakthroughs towards new treatments.
What GoALS Aims to Achieve
We aim to find a cure for ALS, PSMA, and PLS by accelerating therapy development through cross-borders and interdisciplinary collaboration within research and with industry.
We Integrate Research across the Full Drug Development Journey
Genetics (Jan Veldink)
Unravel genetic relations of ALS connected to biological pathways for therapeutic impact, using:
- Superpedigrees
- Genome-wide association studies
- ALS tissue maps
Disease Models (Jeroen Pasterkamp)
Enable high-throughput drug screening and candidate selection by models reflective of unique pathways, including:
- iPSCs and trans-differentiated cells
- Organoids and neuromuscular models
Clinical Trials (Leonard van den Berg)
Advance drug candidates from first-in-man studies to regulatory-grade clinical trials, through:
- Biomarker and outcome measures research
- Clinical trials execution
Why GoALS is Unique
Largest ALS Dataset
> 20,000 multi-omics and clinical profiles
We integrate genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, clinical data, and biobank resources from over 20,000 patients to uncover biomarkers, map disease progression, and fuel cutting-edge research.
Advanced Human Models
Organoids, iPSCs and ALS-on-chip
We are leading in the field with scalable organoids and ALS-on-chip technology, paired with simple models to revolutionize drug discovery and overcome animal model limitations.
Biomarker-Driven Trials
Adaptive designs via TRICALS
We deliver end-to-end trial services, including design, rapid execution, patient recruitment, and innovative outcome measures (e.g., biomarkers, CMAP, EEG), and headquarter TRICALS, Europe’s leading ALS trial platform with 60+ centers.
Collaborate with Us: From Target to Trial
We accelerate ALS therapy development by combining deep patient data, human-based models and Europe’s leading clinical trial network.
Why Partner with GoALS
- Largest integrated ALS dataset and biobanks
- Advanced human disease models (organoids, iPSC, ALS-on-chip)
- AI-driven patient stratification and prediction models
- TRICALS: biomarker-driven adaptive trials across 60+ sites
- Proven collaborations (e.g., Lilly, Biogen) and rapid execution
What Partners Get
- Faster timelines, de-risked decisions and human-relevant evidence
- Access to highly characterized cohorts and validated endpoints
- Regulatory-grade data and smarter, biomarker-guided trial design
Collaboration Models
- Advanced data and insight generation
- Drug discovery and preclinical development (custom models and screening)
- Biomarker discovery and validation (fluid, imaging, digital)
- Clinical trial design and execution via TRICALS (link to TRICALS webpage)
- Co-development of digital/AI tools
Making of Video: Campaign ‘Inevitable Decline’, ALS Foundation Netherlands (Eng subtitles)
