Lovastatin for Reducing Risk and Delaying Onset of ALS

Pavlakis, Pantelis P. MD, PhD

Assistant Attending Neurologist, Hospital for Special Surgery, and Assistant Professor of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medical College

Neurology Alert 42(10):p 75-76, June 2023.

SYNOPSIS: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease without available treatments that significantly alter the disease course. Using Medicare databases and pharmacy records, with multiple logistic regression models, researchers studied three candidate drugs (lovastatin, sulfasalazine, and telmisartan) that were identified as possible therapies for ALS and their effects on SOD1G93A transgenic mice. Animal testing showed a delay in disease onset and prolonged survival in mice treated with a mouse-equivalent dose of lovastatin 40 mg, but showed no benefit from the other two candidate drugs.

SOURCE: Kreple CJ, Searles Nielsen S, Schoch KM, et al. Protective effects of lovastatin in a population-based ALS study and mouse model. Ann Neurol 2023;93:881-892.