Since mid-July the Ice Bucket Challenge was born, but the excuse is purely humanitarian, since who ever takes part is bound to deposit the amount of 10 dollars to the American NGO to fight ALS, known as ALS Association, while he whoever refuses, as for example did the president Barack Obama offers 100 euro.

But what is ALS; The Amyoatrofiki lateral sclerosis, as it is called in Greek, is an incurable disease at the onset of which nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord degenerate, resulting in progressive paralysis patient. It is estimated that the United States alone 30,000 people suffering from ALS. How this disease was associated with the viral campaign fundraising is not unambiguous, however, said that the inspiration was drawn from the Cold Water Challenge, a similar effort to raise money to fund research for cancer.

Who earns millions

The fashion of the ice-bucket challenge has significant economic implications. The money donated by the celebrities involved in the campaign directed to the Agency for the treatment of disease, Lou Gehrig, the ALS Association, which funds non-profit clinics and universities and pharmaceutical companies seeking treatment for a specific disease.

Indeed, according to announcements, lately with the “happening” of the Ice Bucket challenge, the ALS Association has allocated donations of 21 packages of funding to scientists, the amount of which was 3.5 million dollars.

However, apart from direct funding, the pharmaceutical companies which are doing research for the treatment of disease have seen their shares to be projected as a result of the publicity given to the issue, and also the money available for research.

In the big winners are the pharmaceutical Avanir Pharmaceuticals, which saw its stock rising by 69% since the beginning of the new year, as announced positive results in investigations surrounding the drug Nuedexta, which aims to address the neurological condition characterized PBA by sudden and uncontrollable outbursts of crying and laughter, which is also an important symptom of ALS.

Isis Pharmaceuticals, which also conducts research on ALS since 2010, last year announced positive results in its effort to “disable” the mutated gene that causes it and as a result the share rose by 20%. Less, however, was the rise of the share 4% in the last month; presented by the company Sanofi, which has the unique medicinal treatment of ALS approved by the American Food and Drug Administration, the Rilutek, which prolongs the life of those suffering from the disease.