Life Biosciences

The first human trial of an experimental gene therapy aims to test the safety of cellular reprogramming to rejuvenate aging cells, with initial focus on treating glaucoma. The trial, sponsored by Life Biosciences co-founded by David Sinclair, represents a critical step in validating the potential of epigenetic reprogramming to address age-related diseases.

Life Biosciences has initiated a trial testing an experimental treatment for glaucoma by injecting a reprogramming therapy into a volunteer's eye to regenerate healthy nerves. The approach aims to reverse aging by resetting cells to a younger state, building on past strategies like targeting telomere attrition and cellular senescence, though recent trials of senescence clearance in humans showed mixed results.

A reverse-aging drug was injected into a human for the first time by Boston-based biotech startup Life Biosciences. The treatment targets age-related diseases through cellular reprogramming, with initial testing on a patient with glaucoma. Billionaires and pharmaceutical companies, including Jeff Bezos, Sam Altman, Eli Lilly, and Merck, are investing in this longevity science.

David Sinclair, a longevity scientist, plans to test an oral reprogramming drug in human trials as part of a $101 million XPrize competition aimed at restoring apparent age through improvements in immune, cognitive, and muscle function. His Harvard-affiliated work involves epigenetic reprogramming, which resets molecular DNA controls, and his company Life Biosciences has already initiated gene therapy trials for eye conditions.