ALS Untangled Series Ep. 65 - ISRIB

ISRIB stands for “integrated stress response inhibitor).  As we discuss here, it is an oral medication that inhibits an intracellular pathway called the integrative stress response pathway.  It is not FDA approved for any condition but is available in Spain without a prescription.  There are theoretical ways that inhibiting this pathway could help a person with ALS, and there is promising data from preclinical ALS models.  However, it is not clear that ISRIB is soluble enough to get into motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, and 2 of 3 trials of agents targeting the same pathway failed to show any benefits in people with ALS.  The risks of this product in ALS are not known.