AI Uncovers Existing Drugs That May Extend Survival for ALS Patients

The study is a promising breakthrough that could lead to new treatment options for the debilitating neurological disorder.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 2:00pm

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Researchers have used artificial intelligence to identify 18 FDA-approved drugs that could potentially improve outcomes for people suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. The study, a collaboration between several Bay Area institutions, analyzed health records of over 11,000 ALS patients from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to find drugs that may slow the progression of the disease.

Why it matters

ALS is a rare and devastating neurological disorder that attacks motor neurons, leading to loss of muscle control and function. With no known cure, the disease typically proves fatal within 3-5 years of diagnosis. This study represents a promising breakthrough in the search for new treatment options that could extend the lives of ALS patients.

The details

The researchers used machine learning and causal inference analysis to identify three classes of existing drugs - statins, type-5 phosphodiesterases, and alpha-blockers - that showed a positive association with longer survival in ALS patients. While further testing is needed to confirm the findings, the study allows doctors to potentially prescribe these FDA-approved medications to benefit ALS patients.

  • The study analyzed health records of over 11,000 ALS patients from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs between 2009 and 2020.
  • The study was published in the medical journal The Lancet in March 2026.

The players

Mike Piscotty

Founder of the ALS Cure Project, a nonprofit that raises funds for ALS research. Piscotty's wife Gretchen died of ALS in 2018.

Priyadip Ray

A scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and co-author of the study.

Richard Reimer

A co-author of the study and a professor of neurology at Stanford University.

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What they’re saying

“Drug repurposing has the upside of identifying existing FDA-approved drugs that can help slow the rate of decline of people who have ALS.”

— Mike Piscotty, Founder, ALS Cure Project

“We don't know whether this will succeed in a clinical trial. But can you do a clinical trial for 5,000 drugs? You cannot. But if you can narrow down and have high confidence in a few, then you can do some small, more targeted clinical trials to tease those out.”

— Priyadip Ray, Scientist, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

“A lot of times, people will stop the statin medications as they get a diagnosis of ALS ... because one of the side effects that are often noted for statins is that it may cause muscle pain or weakness. With this study, it allows us to say ... it's safe to continue them on their statin medication.”

— Richard Reimer, Professor of Neurology, Stanford University

What’s next

Researchers stressed that further testing on a broader, more representative data set will be necessary to confirm the findings and make them more concrete. Clinical trials on the identified drugs are the next step to determine if they can truly extend survival for ALS patients.

The takeaway

This AI-powered study represents a promising breakthrough in the search for new treatment options for the devastating ALS disease. By repurposing existing FDA-approved drugs, researchers have identified potential therapies that could give ALS patients and their families more time, even if a true cure remains elusive.