U.S. Congressman Michael Capuano to Receive "Lou Gehrig Award" from ALS Therapy Development Institute During Gala Event this November

Augie Nieto, ALS Patient and Fitness Pioneer also to be Recognized

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 7, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI) announced today that it will present Congressman Michael Capuano (D-MA) with its first ever "Lou Gehrig Award" during its annual A White Coat Affair gala event this November 3rd. The award recognizes the Congressman for his tireless efforts in Congress to advocate for additional funding for research leading to an effective treatment for ALS.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110204/DC42625LOGO )

"As a person battling ALS today, I wish to thank Congressman Capuano for his stand against this disease. The attention and funding that he has helped to bring to this killer has brought new researchers, new ideas and frankly renewed hope that people like me will one day truly have the chance to fight this disease back," said Augie Nieto, chairman of the Board of ALS TDI.

The award will be presented during the Institute's annual gala event, A White Coat Affair, to be held at the Hotel Marlowe in Cambridge, Mass. The Congressman will be recognized during a special ceremony being organized by ALS TDI. Additional information is available online at http://www.als.net/whitecoataffair or by calling 617-441-7205. The Lou Gehrig name is used with the permission of the Rip Van Winkle Foundation.

"Time and time again Congressman Capuano has shown that he understands the hardship faced by those living with Lou Gehrig's disease today. Congressman Capuano's support of ALS TDI's unique approach has inspired others in Congress to join together in a focused effort to fund this groundbreaking and crucial research. This is a cause that he has championed and we are honored to recognize him for his leadership and persistence on behalf of patients today," said Steve Perrin, Ph.D., CEO and CSO of ALS TDI.

About ALS Therapy Development Institute

The mission of the ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI) is to develop effective therapeutics that slow or stop amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease), as soon as possible. Founded by the family of an ALS patient in 1999 as the world's first "nonprofit biotech", ALS TDI is now internationally recognized as a leading medical research institution. Its unique industrial-scale platform actively develops and tests dozens of potential therapeutics each year. The Cambridge, Massachusetts, based research Institute collaborates worldwide with academia and industry to bridge the translational research gap which exists among many orphan diseases, such as ALS. For more information about the Institute's current research pipeline and to take a virtual lab tour, please visit us online at www.als.net

Media Contact: Robert A. Goldstein, ALS TDI, 617-441-7295, rgoldstein@als.net

SOURCE ALS Therapy Development Institute