Ageing research reviewsDec 4, 2025

Advances in Drugs to Slow Aging and Related Diseases

Longevity & Aging Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Jun 27, 2026

Abstract

Essence

Repurposed drugs may target aging biology, but clinical translation remains uncertain.

Evidence

This review synthesizes anti-ageing drug research on aspirin, atorvastatin, enalapril, metformin, canagliflozin, liraglutide, acarbose, N-acetylcysteine, and dasatinib with quercetin across mTOR, AMPK, NF-kappa B, and SASP-related pathways, emphasizing healthspan and lifespan signals in model organisms.

Caveat

The abstract highlights major translation barriers, including species specificity, sex differences, unreliable aging biomarkers, and unresolved dose selection.

Simplified

This review explores the anti-ageing potential of nine repurposed drugs: aspirin, atorvastatin, enalapril, metformin, canagliflozin, liraglutide, acarbose, N-acetylcysteine and dasatinib (commonly combined with quercetin). Specifically, it focuses on their mechanisms through the mechanistic target of rapamycin, adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase, nuclear factor kappa B and senescence-associated secretory phenotype pathways. The repurposed drugs show promise in extending healthspan and lifespan in model organisms by modulating ageing-related processes, e.g. reducing chronic inflammation, enhancing metabolic efficiency and improving cellular stress resistance. However, translating preclinical findings into clinical practice still faces major challenges, including species specificity and sex differences, the lack of reliable ageing biomarkers and the issue of dosage selection. This review synthesises progress and obstacles in transitioning drug development from targeting individual age-related diseases to addressing ageing as a unified biological process. Ultimately, the goal is to support a paradigm shift where ageing is recognised as a modifiable condition, enabling longer healthy human lifespans.