SAN DIEGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Rejuvenate Bio, today announced new preclinical research published to the preprint server bioRxiv, that evaluates how partial reprogramming could be a potential treatment in the elderly to reverse age-associated diseases and potentially extend human lifespan.

“The main causes of death in the elderly are age-related diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, and specific cancers”

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Aging is best defined as the chronic dysregulation of gene expression networks over time leading to subsequent deteriorated tissue and organ function causing age-related functional decline and diseases.

Recent studies have demonstrated that partial reprogramming using Yamanaka factors can reverse age-related changes in cellulo and in vivo, including extending the lifespan of progeroid mice. A subset of factors (OCT4, SOX2, and KLF4; OSK) have been used to reverse damage to the optic nerve. However, to date, whether OSK is sufficient for partial reprogramming of cells and to extend the lifespan of aged wild type mice is unknown.

The study showed that a doxycycline inducible 2-part adeno-associated virus (AAV) system is able to deliver and express OSK in 124 week old mice and have systemic effects that enhance health parameters and increase remaining lifespan by 109% over controls. The study also observed epigenetic patterns consistent with age reversal in methylation studies of liver and heart tissue from treated mice relative to untreated controls.

“The main causes of death in the elderly are age-related diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, and specific cancers,” said Noah Davidsohn, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer and Co-Founder, Rejuvenate Bio. “While aging cannot currently be prevented, its impact on life and healthspan can potentially be minimized by interventions that aim to return gene expression networks to optimal function. The study results suggest that partial reprogramming could be a potential treatment in the elderly for reversing age-associated diseases and could extend human lifespan.”

About Rejuvenate Bio

Rejuvenate Bio is a spinout from the Wyss Institute at Harvard focused on reversing aging and eliminating age-related disease. Rejuvenate Bio utilizes gene therapy, proprietary targets, and tools to bring treatments to patients suffering from age-related conditions. The company is developing a pipeline of therapies with applications in cardiac and metabolic disease. The company raised a Series A financing in 2021 led by Kendall Capital Partners, Digitalis Ventures, KdT Ventures and V Capital. Rejuvenate Bio is based in San Diego for more information, visit www.rejuvenatebio.com.